Board Spotlight: Dr. Kristin Flora
Helping Students Build Meaningful Lives Through Community Engagement
At Community-Engaged Alliance (CEA), our Board of Directors represents colleges and universities across Indiana that share a common belief: higher education has the power to strengthen communities. Through our Board Spotlight series, we're introducing the leaders who help guide that mission and the experiences that inspire their commitment to civic and community engagement.
This month, we're pleased to feature Dr. Kristin Flora, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College at Franklin College.
A Foundation Built on Community
Long before she became a college administrator, faculty member, or member of Community-Engaged Alliance Board of Directors, Kristin Flora learned what community engagement looked like in everyday life.
Growing up in a small Iowa town along the Mississippi River, helping others wasn't considered volunteer work. It was simply what neighbors did.
When seasonal flooding threatened the community, high school students were dismissed so they could help fill sandbags. Church members taught Sunday school. Student-athletes volunteered at youth camps. Everyone contributed where they could because that's what a strong community required.
Looking back, Kristin recognizes how those experiences shaped the leader she is today.
After earning bachelor's degrees in psychology and chemistry from Valparaiso University, she completed her master's and doctorate in Experimental Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee before returning to Indiana to join Franklin College in 2007. What began as a faculty position in psychology has evolved into nearly two decades of leadership at the institution, where she now serves as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College.
Throughout that journey, one belief has remained constant: preparing students for meaningful lives requires learning that extends well beyond the classroom.
"Learning doesn't stop inside the classroom. Students need opportunities to put knowledge into action,” said Dr. Flora.
Empowering Faculty to Create Lasting Impact
That philosophy closely aligns with both Franklin College's mission and the work of Community-Engaged Alliance, making board service a natural fit.
Kristin sees community engagement as an essential part of educating students, not an additional activity. While classroom instruction provides knowledge, partnerships with community organizations allow students to apply that knowledge in meaningful ways, deepen their understanding of complex issues, and discover how they can make a difference in the places they live and work.
One CEA initiative that particularly resonates with her is the Faculty Fellows program.
Having spent much of her career as a faculty member, Kristin understands that supporting students begins by supporting educators. Faculty who are given opportunities to grow professionally are better equipped to create innovative learning experiences that connect academic content with community needs.
Franklin College has already benefited from faculty participation in the program, and Kristin has seen the impact ripple far beyond the individual's participant. Faculty return to campus energized with new ideas, fresh perspectives, and connections to colleagues across Indiana who share a passion for community-engaged learning. Those experiences ultimately benefit students while strengthening partnerships throughout their communities.
Building Stronger Campus-Community Partnerships
Another example of CEA's impact came through a grant that helped Franklin College strengthen relationships with local nonprofit organizations.
Recognizing that faculty often have the desire to incorporate service-learning into their courses but face practical challenges in developing community partnerships, Franklin hosted networking mixers that brought faculty members and nonprofit leaders together. The informal gatherings created opportunities to discover shared interests, begin conversations, and lay the foundation for future collaborations.
For Kristin, those kinds of investments matter because they remove barriers that can prevent good ideas from becoming reality. Faculty frequently have the passion to engage students in community-based learning. Sometimes they simply need an opportunity to connect with the right partners.
Strengthening Higher Education Across Indiana
As a member of the Board of Directors at Community-Engaged Alliance, Kristin also appreciates the organization's commitment to serving institutions of every size and mission across Indiana.
Rather than focusing on a single type of institution, CEA brings together community colleges, independent colleges, and public universities, creating opportunities for leaders to learn from one another while ensuring programs remain relevant across the diverse landscape of higher education.
She believes that broad representation strengthens both the organization and the campuses it serves, allowing different perspectives to shape new initiatives and expand opportunities for faculty, students, and community partners alike.
Looking ahead, Kristin hopes even more Indiana campuses will take advantage of the professional development, grant opportunities, and collaborative partnerships that CEA provides. She believes Indiana is fortunate to have an organization dedicated to advancing community-engaged learning and sees tremendous potential for continued growth.
Creating Space for Civil Dialogue
One area she is especially excited to see evolve is CEA's Third Way Civics initiative.
As higher education continues to navigate increasingly complex conversations, Kristin believes colleges and universities have an important role in helping students learn how to engage respectfully across differing viewpoints.
Rather than encouraging students what to think, she believes higher education should equip them with the skills to ask thoughtful questions, evaluate evidence, support their ideas, and participate in meaningful dialogue.
"College should be a place where students learn how to ask questions, evaluate evidence, support their ideas, and engage in meaningful conversations with people who may see the world differently, said Dr. Flora""
She sees Third Way Civics as an important step toward creating spaces where students, faculty, and community members can practice those skills while strengthening civil discourse both on campus and beyond.
Leading Through Collaboration
For Kristin, community engagement has always been about relationships. It begins with faculty willing to invest their time, community organizations willing to partner, and students eager to learn through real-world experiences. When those relationships come together, everyone benefits.
That spirit of collaboration is what drew her to Community-Engaged Alliance and continues to inspire her service on its Board of Directors as she helps prepare the next generation of leaders to build stronger communities across Indiana.
For more stories like Kristin’s, stay tuned to CEA Chronicle. If you have any photos or additional stories to share about your community engagement work, please reach out to us. Together, we can continue to build stronger, more connected communities.