Southwest Virginia Higher Ed Center

RANA DUNCAN UVA Class of ‘03

From sitting in the classroom to standing at the front of it, the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center has shaped Rana Duncan’s journey in profound ways. Rana always knew she wanted to help others, and counseling felt like the perfect path. After earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology, she pursued a Master of Social Work degree, gaining valuable clinical experience along the way. While she found the work deeply fulfilling, she felt drawn to something more. “I wanted to pass on these nuggets of wisdom that I had accumulated from years of practice,” she said. Around that time, she discovered a teaching opportunity with Radford University at the Higher Ed Center — no Ph.D. required. Rana started teaching in the fall of 1998. Soon after, the Curry School of the University of Virginia launched an Ed.D. program at the Center. Seeing her future in academia, she jumped at the chance to pursue her doctorate. “UVA was marvelous,” Rana said. “The quality of education was incredible.” Her studies even took her to Edinburgh, Scotland. With strong mentorship and support, she completed her Ed.D. in just three and a half years. With her doctorate in hand, Rana earned tenure at Radford and spent 18 years teaching, first at the Center and later on their main campus. When East Tennessee State University opened a faculty position at the Center, she returned to her roots. The programs she taught were deeply engrained in the community, and she became a passionate advocate for the Center’s mission of bringing higher education opportunities to the residents of Southwest Virginia. “I feel like the schools made a contribution to the area,” Rana said. “It was just wonderful to be a part of that.” Rana retired from ETSU in 2021 and returned to direct clinical practice, bringing her career full circle. “It’s been such a joy to work one-on-one with people again,” she said. “Life experience helps the work.”

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Great People, Greater Stories

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