Meet Your Support Team

Julia R. Heck is a seasoned higher education and student affairs professional with over a decade of experience, and is a catalyst for positive individual and organizational growth. Serving most recently as the University Ombuds at Eastern Michigan University (EMU) where her work was aligned with student support services, she is at the forefront of student success, conflict resolution, and organizational transformation.

Heck is a Certified Student Affairs Educator (CSAEd) with a specialization in Student Conduct Administration (CSAEd-SC), and currently completing her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at EMU. She received her Master's degree in Educational Leadership - Higher Education & Student Affairs from EMU and dual Bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Human Development & Family Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. She also possesses numerous specified training certificates including but not limited to Strategic Higher Education Finance & Planning, Diversity & Inclusion, and Student Affairs Law & Policy.

Heck’s expertise spans policy design, programmatic enhancement, professional mentorship, program evaluation, student retention and success, and leadership development. In 2023, Heck was recognized by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Region IV-E with the Undergraduate Fellows Champion Award, and the Equality of Women & Men Award from the Baha’i Community of Washtenaw County in 2017, showcasing her adaptability and effectiveness in higher education and student affairs.