Triple Shark. Dean. Donor. Crisis Clinician. Alumna. Champion of Veterans. Pilot. Grandmother. Dog Walker. And, if needed, even barista.
Kimberly Durham, Psy.D., has held many titles during her lifetime—some earned and some bestowed upon her. Currently, Durham serves as the dean of the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. The “Triple Shark” moniker comes from being an alumna, faculty member, and donor at NSU. She started her career at NSU as a crisis clinician after earning all three of her degrees from the university.
Durham has long championed veterans and was instrumental in establishing the Veterans Resource Center on the NSU Fort Lauderdale/Davie Campus, alongside veteran Kelsey DeSantis B.A. ’15. She also earned her private pilot’s license and enjoys watching her grandchildren and taking her two dogs for walks.
And, no matter what her official title may be, Durham doesn’t mind making the coffee.
“If I walk into a room and the coffee isn’t made, I’ll go over to the coffee machine and start making it. I know a morning cup of coffee for that first meeting of the day may make all the difference to the people in the room, so I’m happy to help out,” she said.
“If I hear someone say, ‘That’s not my job,’ I try to talk to them,” she added. “People will define those lines, and I think I’d rather break down and erase the lines.”
Although Durham was born and raised in South Florida, she didn’t start off wanting to be a Shark. She originally headed to Colorado for college—more so that she could ski rather than get an education. Her father stepped in and brought her home, where she got a job working at a hotel. After watching her stand up for employees who were wrongfully terminated, a coworker encouraged her to go back to school and do something else with her life. Nova College was just getting off the ground at the time, and her father encouraged her to look past its humble beginnings and consider the quality of education the school was offering.
As a student, she began working in the clinics and didn’t hesitate to pitch in wherever she was needed. Fellow students would ask her why she answered the phone when working in the clinic because she was just a student. Her response? “Because it was ringing.” Her background in business made her comfortable in all positions at the clinic, and she was hired as a crisis clinician after earning her degree. At first, she stayed at NSU because she had a job. But eventually, that job became a career.
She quickly moved up, becoming a supervisor of case management. Soon enough, she was running the clinic as the director. She was then named the associate dean for social and systemic studies and the executive dean at the then-Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services. From there, she helped create the Institute for the Study of Human Service, Health, and Justice at the university. She oversaw that program as the dean and eventual department chair before returning to the College of Education, agreeing to do so only if she could bring the School of Criminal Justice into the fold as well.
When asked, “why NSU?” Durham gives credit to the leadership and growth at the university.
“I really am one of those people who believes leadership sets the tone,” she said. “Dr. Hanbury sets the bar higher than anyone’s expectations, meaning people have to reach for that bar. That’s not a bad thing. It does promote growth in you, the individual, and in the unit, and in the organization.”
She remembers being asked to check on a building almost immediately after a hurricane had passed through South Florida, and although initially shocked to be asked to navigate through the damage, she recognized the wisdom of wanting to have the school back in business as soon as possible. That leadership, she adds, is what has kept NSU going in the face of a global pandemic.
“To see the coordination of different units working together to make sure we didn’t close and that ultimately, we were safe, is amazing,” she said. “That’s leadership. Setting the bar high, leadership, basic growth, and direction are all key components to making somebody stay.”
Those same qualities are what encouraged Durham to give back to the university. After establishing a Changing Lives Scholarship and donating funds to provide wellness equipment and initiatives for veterans, Durham has established a legacy gift that will create scholarships for veterans and criminal justice students in the future.
“Veterans were my original target. What I admire most about those individuals is their selflessness and willingness to serve. Most of them have innately in them tremendous discipline and leadership qualities, which I think we, as an organization, need to tap, because I think they’re pretty amazing,” she explained.
“I admire criminal justice students equally, especially in this day and age. It’s a very difficult time,” she added. “They are part of the new coursework in police reform and community policing, and I would like to see them continue that, because it makes a difference in the community.
According to Durham, “There’s something special about this place that it will be sustained long after I’m gone, which is another reason I choose to leave a legacy gift,” she said. “I wanted veterans and criminal justice students to carry on with their studies and make it easier for them, yes, but I also believe in the organization and where it is going to go.”
For now, Durham hopes to continue to grow Fischler College so it is the first college that comes to mind for prospective students looking to become teachers. She continues to put students first and encourages all those around her—students and faculty and staff members—to use their voices, whether it be questions, concerns, or recommendations to collectively make change.
Durham also stated that she would like to see those who are given leadership opportunities take the position seriously, but not themselves, as she has done. She hopes leaders work to connect with others and make everyone feel like part of a team so they can become successful themselves. In other words, she hopes part of her legacy will be that people feel comfortable enough in their own roles that they aren’t afraid to make the coffee.
