Graduate SHUdent Spotlight: Why I Pursued a Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership

What drew you to work in education?

I was part of a Grow-Your-Own program while attending James Hillhouse High School in New Haven. This gave me opportunities to work in New Haven elementary and middle schools, where I learned the art and science of education in my Teacher Prep Program. Through participation in the Grow-Your-Own program, I earned a full scholarship to Southern Connecticut State University. I then taught in New Haven public schools for five years. Unbeknownst to me, this program was the beginning of my passion, research interests and the focus of my doctorate degree–recruiting and retaining teachers of color.

Why did you choose to pursue a degree in SHU’s Ed.D. in Educational Leadership?

I needed something to stimulate my growth as an educator. I had remembered that when I was pursuing my 092 at Sacred Heart, the school was designing an Ed.D. program. While researching the program, I was drawn to its focus on SEAL. I was a classroom teacher at the time, struggling to engage some of my students who were dealing with trauma, and the support I was getting from the district was not enough.

Has your degree made you a better educational leader?

Yes, in many ways. By using improvement science strategies (a core component of SHU’s Ed.D. dissertation), including the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) protocol, which is currently being used by my school district, I am intentional in using a variety of methods to improve academic and culture data within my school. Through this program, I was able to decrease the chronic absenteeism rate at my school by 25% and increase the data pertaining to staff culture and climate. I still use many strategies, protocols and models that SHU’s Ed.D. program helped me to create and master while engaging with the community and creating a positive culture and climate for my school and district. Furthermore, I have gained a network of amazing individuals, whether cohort members or professors, that I still rely on as thought partners and support systems within this field.

What theoretical knowledge did you gain in the program that has translated into real-world change for you, your colleagues and the students you serve?

The use of improvement science (PDSA), the in-depth understanding of social-emotional learning and trauma and the use and power of qualitative data has had a significant impact on working with staff, engaging students and helping staff and students get the support they need.

What is the value of SHU’s Ed.D. in Educational Leadership if you are already an educational administrator?

This is a dynamic program that encourages all educators to dive into real problems and create real solutions for their communities. The work you do and the tools you learn will help you as an administrator to drive the next steps to bring a community together. For me, the program also helped me to solidify my vision as a leader.

What was your favorite part of the program?

Our cohort was the first cohort for this program. We were full-time students and full-time administrators or teachers, working and studying during a pandemic. We helped to mold this program and with that came the flexibility and understanding of what all doctoral students needed and the support needed at all levels. The faculty helped to build this support in many ways, including an affinity group for doctoral candidates of color. To know that our professors cared about our well-being just as much as our learning and success made this program very special to me. Additionally, I was one of the only candidates who took on a fully qualitative approach to my dissertation and that was fully supported by this team. This program made a huge difference in my learning, my growth and who I am as a leader today.

Since graduating from the SHU program, you were selected to participate in an educational leadership initiative, the Hartford Principal Leadership Academy (HPLA). How did your work at SHU inform your work with HPLA?

The HPLA is a leadership pipeline program that identifies a cohort of aspiring principals and brings them together for an intensive six-month professional journey to develop the leadership skills and knowledge needed to be a highly effective school administrator at Hartford Public Schools. As I completed my work, I used some of the strategies that I learned in SHU’s Ed.D. program to research and show how to increase a positive culture and climate in your community.

The next step in your education career

SHU’S Ed.D. in educational leadership provides students with a specialized skill set about social and emotional learning, but also the skills to effectively assess the political, economic and social forces that influence decision-making and the development of K-12 educational programs.

The program also prepares graduates for roles in other industries including state or federal government policy research, nongovernmental organizations and philanthropic foundations.

Financial assistance programs

If you are considering SHU’s Ed.D. in educational leadership, you may be eligible for scholarship programs or additional financial assistance.

Is an Ed.D. in educational leadership right for you?

If you are interested in learning more about SHU’s Ed.D. in educational leadership, contact Cristen Meehl at meehlc@sacredheart.edu, 203-416-3031 or schedule an appointment with Cristen today!

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