Sam Riggs

Managing Researcher

Sam seeks to make research and evaluation findings accessible and actionable to support student pathways from high school through postsecondary education and employment, with a particular focus on supporting students who are underserved in these spaces. Some of his current projects include a large-scale, longitudinal study of student access to and participation in CTE programming in Washington state, and the high school graduation, postsecondary education, and labor market outcomes students achieve, and research to support postsecondary access and success for students from rural communities in Oregon.

Sam has more than a decade of academic and professional experience in higher education. He is trained in quantitative methods for program evaluation and is a What Works Clearinghouse Group Design 4.1 certified reviewer. His work explores how educational programs and policies shape students' journeys from high school to postsecondary education and into the workforce. Before joining Education Northwest, he pursued a doctorate in higher education at Pennsylvania State University, where his research examined the escalation of listed tuition prices at colleges and universities. Previously, Sam was assistant director of admission at the University of Puget Sound.

Education

• Ph.D., Higher Education, The Pennsylvania State University
• B.A., International Political Economy, University of Puget Sound

I dream of going to...

Bella Coola

My favorite villain in a book, movie, or TV show is...

Jaws

The strangest thing in my refrigerator is...

Play Dough