Office of Student Life
Center for the Study of Student Life

Leah Halper, PhD

Leah Halper, PhD is an Associate Director in the Center for the Study of Student Life. Leah has a BS in Psychology from The Ohio State University and an MS and PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Ohio University. 

Leah oversees and directs key research initiatives such as the Graduation Survey, First Destination data, LENA (a leadership needs assessment), research on the Student Employment Experience (SEE), and research about the Second-year Transformational Experience Program (STEP). Her focal assessment and research areas include career outcomes, administrative excellence and operational data, student/staff employment and the student residential experience. Additionally, she offers consultation to various units seeking to improve their workplace processes and dynamics.

Her graduate school research focused on motivation in the workplace, delving into the complexities of goal processes, self-efficacy and resource allocation in performance contexts. She examines how self-efficacy—one's belief in their capacity to achieve goals—can either enhance or hinder effort and performance under different conditions.

At the Center, she applies these research insights to student-focused projects, contributing to the development of leadership and employment programs that aim to foster student growth, retention and engagement. Through these efforts, she seeks to bridge the gap between research and practice, driving meaningful change both in student outcomes and broader workplace environments.