Dr. Highberger earned the PhD from the University of Iowa in child welfare in 1953. She joined the faculty of the university’s Department of Child Development and Family Relationships in 1957, serving as head of the department from 1959 to 1969. She retired from the university in 1982. She gained recognition as a specialist in child development and family relations. She authored Child Development for Day Care Workers (1976) and many official bulletins and articles on child care programs.
The Tennessee Association on Young Children recognized her contributions to early childhood education by establishing a student award in her name. Her contributions to the intellectual life of the university have been recognized by placement of a plaque in her honor on a faculty study.