Professor & Associate Dean, USC Graduate School
PhD, Higher Education, University of Michigan
Julie Posselt is a professor of higher education in the USC Rossier School of Education and was a 2015-2017 National Academy of Education/ Spencer Foundation postdoctoral research fellow. Rooted in sociological and organizational theory, her research program examines institutionalized inequalities in higher education and organizational efforts aimed at reducing inequities and encouraging diversity. She focuses on selective sectors of higher education — graduate education, STEM fields, and elite undergraduate institutions — where longstanding practices and cultural norms are being negotiated to better identify talent and educate students in a changing society.
Expertise
Holistic graduate admissions | STEM equity and inclusion | Mental health in higher education
Current Projects
Latest News
The Courage to Be Candid: Creating Spaces of Trust in a Guarded Profession
During this challenging time for higher education, we have been heartened to see members of the Equity in Graduate Education (EGE) Consortium leaning into our...
New Strategic Coaching Membership Available from the Equity in Graduate Education Consortium
During this challenging time for higher education, we have been heartened to see members of the Equity in Graduate Education (EGE) Consortium leaning into our...
Pullias Center Co-Directors Adrianna Kezar and Julie Posselt Ranked Among Top RHSU Edu-Scholars for Public Influence in 2026
Adrianna Kezar and Julie Posselt, who serve as Co-directors of the Pullias Center, have both been selected among the top 200 scholars for public influence...
“How Academic Freedom Will Make American Higher Education Great Again” Webinar Set for October 28th at 12 pm PT
Bill Tierney, University Professor Emeritus at the USC Rossier School of Education, will speak about the roots of academic freedom in the 20th century, discuss...
Meet the Pullias Researchers at ASHE in Denver, Nov. 13-15, 2025
Learn about new research on a variety of projects, including graduate admissions, DEI, shared equity leadership, and more in 17 sessions at the ASHE annual...
Extending and Deepening Research-Practice Partnerships
As we announce the merger of the Center for Enrollment Research, Policy and Practice (CERPP) with the Pullias Center for Higher Education, we reflect on...
Equity in Graduate Education Consortium: Annual May Meeting Recap
This May, the Equity in Graduate Education (EGE) Consortium convened for its annual meeting, bringing together faculty and administrators from more than 25 institutions across...
USC Rossier Unites Two Leading Research Centers to Advance Equity in Higher Education
The merger of the Pullias Center for Higher Education and the Center for Enrollment Research, Policy and Practice creates a hub focused on strengthening leadership...
The Strategic Vision and Goals Behind Uniting the Pullias Center for Higher Education and Center for Enrollment Research, Policy and Practice
A conversation with Professors Adrianna Kezar and Julie Posselt on merging two leading research centers to advance equity, and student access and success in higher...
Meet the Pullias Researchers at AERA in Denver, April 23-27, 2025
Join Pullias Center researchers at this year’s AERA 2025 conference
Julie Posselt Named 2025 AERA Fellow
AERA has selected Julie Posselt, professor of education in the Rossier School of Education and Pullias Center for Higher Education and associate dean of the...
New Research and Evaluation on Approaches to Collaborative Change
Some conditions and strategies are more conducive than others to organizational learning and institutional change. As the Pullias Center works with the community to improve...
Pullias’ Equity in Graduate Education Resource Center Publishes New Guide Geared Toward Supporting PhD Students Selecting a Research Group
The Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) has selected the Pullias Center for Higher Education as this year’s recipient of the ASHE Special...
The Pullias Center Accepts Special Merit Award From the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE)
The Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) has selected the Pullias Center for Higher Education as this year’s recipient of the ASHE Special...
Equity in Graduate Education’s “Navigating New Mentoring Requirements” Webinar Set for October 28th
Join the Equity in Graduate Education (EGE) community and their panel of leaders for this insightful webinar Monday, October 28th at 10:00 am via Zoom.
In...
The Pullias Center Honored with 2024 Special Merit Award from the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE)
The Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) has selected the Pullias Center for Higher Education as this year’s recipient of the ASHE Special...
Meet the Pullias Researchers at ASHE in Minneapolis, Nov. 20-23, 2024
Learn about new research on a variety of projects, including graduate admissions, DEI, shared equity leadership, and more in 17 sessions at the ASHE annual...
Pullias’ Equity in Graduate Education Resource Center Releases New Report Focused on the Influence of Cultural Capital on Physics Graduate Students’ Educations
The Equity in Graduate Education Resource Center just released their newest research-based resource guide, “Starting Conversations about culture in STEM.” This guide is designed to help department...
Pullias’ Equity in Graduate Education Resource Center Releases New Report Focused on Transforming STEM Department Culture in Higher Ed
The Equity in Graduate Education Resource Center just released their newest research-based resource guide, “Starting Conversations about culture in STEM.” This guide is designed to help department...
The Power of Purposeful Discussions in Times of Change
At the Equity in Graduate Education (EGE) Resource Center, we knew that the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling on race-conscious admissions could lead to what recent...
Equity Styles of Race-Neutral Holistic Review: Lessons Learned From Two Programs
In the fall of 2022, with a decision from the Supreme Court about race-conscious admissions looming, our team sought to uncover for both researchers and...
Pullias Center New Faculty Appointments and Promotions
Please join us in celebrating a trio of new appointments and promotions at the Pullias Center! Well-deserved kudos to Dr. Julie Posselt, who was recently...
Equity in Graduate Education Consortium Expands Support for Systemic Change
Funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation enables Posselt and team at the Pullias Center for Higher Education to build tools and grow its network...
Meet the Pullias Researchers at ASHE in Minneapolis, Nov. 15-18, 2023
Learn about new research on a variety of projects, including graduate admissions, DEI, shared equity leadership, and more in 17 sessions at the ASHE annual...
“The Future of University Admissions After the Supreme Court Ruling on Affirmative Action” Rossier panel discussion set for Wednesday, October 25, 2023
How can leaders in undergraduate, graduate, and professional admissions use this moment to create more equitable systems?
The recent Supreme Court rulings in SFFA vs. Harvard...
Julie Posselt and the Pullias Center for Higher Education Awarded $1.3 million grant from the National Science Foundation
‘Examining Rubrics in Graduate Education,’ a partnership with the University of Minnesota, will examine the utility and feasibility of rubrics in graduate admissions.
Equity in Graduate Education: Organizing for Equity
"The Equity in Graduate Education Consortium has helped me to expand my connections with scholars and practitioners committed to positively influencing equity-based systemic change within...
Successful C-CIDE Program Expands Nationally: Now the Equity in Graduation Education Consortium
In 2018, USC Associate Professor Julie Posselt saw a pressing need for a scalable, sustainable system for faculty to learn about basic issues of inequality...
Pullias Team Addresses Biases and Discrimination Hiding in Letters of Recommendation
Letters of recommendation are used in admissions and hiring to glean information and qualities which may go unnoticed in the review of an applicant’s file....
Publications
Higher Education Administration for Social Justice and Equity
Routledge (October 2018)
Inside Graduate Admissions: Merit, Diversity, and Faculty Gatekeeping
2016, Harvard University Press
Equity in Science: Representation, Culture, and the Dynamics of Change in Graduate Education
2020, Stanford University Press
Equity Efforts as Boundary Work: How Symbolic and Social Boundaries Shape Access and Inclusion in Graduate Education
Teachers College Record, 119(10), 1-38.
