Christopher Cipriano ’22
Age: 47
Program: Ed.D. in Educational Leadership
Year of Graduation: 2022
Hometown: Watertown, CT
Graduate SHUdent Spotlight: Why I got My Doctorate in Educational Leadership
A recent alum shares how SHU’s Doctor of Education in educational leadership program helped him become a better school leader.
A passion for learning. An opportunity to inspire a new generation to reach their greatest potential. A chance to innovate and collaborate. An ability to make a positive difference. An opportunity to help others achieve success. There are many reasons people become educators and school administrators. SHU’s Ed.D. in educational leadership program at the Isabelle Farrington College of Education & Human Development (FCEHD) provides school leaders and mid-career educators with the skills and tools to deepen their knowledge and further their leadership abilities to create positive outcomes for their schools, their students and society.
Given it’s the only doctoral program in the country that explicitly addresses social, emotional and academic learning (SEAL) as a major area of concentration, doctoral candidates focus on courses that expand their knowledge of principles related to social and emotional learning and address the challenges and opportunities of present-day K-12 education. Christopher Cipriano ’22 shares how the program is helping his work as a school principal in fostering stronger student-teacher relationships and improved student academic performance.
Cipriano has been in education since 1998. He is beginning his 27th year at Notre Dame Prep of Sacred Heart University, where he started as a teacher. He became principal 15 years ago. He also received his Master of Arts in Teaching and Sixth-Year Degree (092 Certificate) from SHU.
Why did you choose to pursue a degree in SHU’s Ed.D. in Educational Leadership?
I wasn't looking for a doctoral program, to be honest. I was content with my sixth-year degree and administrative certificate. But as SHU was getting ready to launch the program, I received an email about it. I really loved the social-emotional focus and the online component. It seemed like a good fit. Given I had earned all my graduate degrees from SHU, it made sense to pursue one final degree. After chatting with my wife, I decided it was a great opportunity on a personal and professional level and one that I ultimately chose.
In what ways has the program improved your skills in leadership, decision-making and strategic planning?
The doctoral program, while tremendously challenging and demanding, helped me to grow as a school leader. It helped me to better understand the social and emotional challenges faced by everyone in a school, including students and staff (and little did my cohort know when the program was starting that an impending pandemic was about to dramatically exacerbate those challenges). From writing and research skills and practical social and emotional learning (SEL) knowledge to a more complete understanding of the ever-evolving world of education, the doctoral program, without question, helped me to become a better school leader—to the betterment, I hope, of my school community.
What are key takeaways from the program that have helped you to achieve your career goals?
A key takeaway would be my growth as a school leader. The program helped me to have a better perspective and better understanding of learning and the SEL challenges in education. Specifically, the program and my doctoral research helped to highlight the importance of culturally responsive practices in the classroom that build relationships and stronger student performance. I have taken these lessons into my own school community where we have worked to ensure their use—with a goal of forming stronger student-teacher relationships and improved student academic performance.
What are some of the challenges and opportunities education leaders face today and how does SHU’s doctorate in education help educational practitioners address these challenges and opportunities?
The world of education today—especially in our post-COVID world–is a challenging one. The learning loss from COVID will be with us for years—as will the social and emotional impact. The doctoral program helped give me and my fellow classmates the knowledge and a unique perspective to tackle these challenges while ensuring our school communities had the support they needed. The program provided the knowledge and the opportunity to grow as leaders, which was a perfectly timed combination and remains as relevant (if not more relevant) today as when we started in the program in 2019.
How would you describe the value of SHU’s Ed.D. in educational leadership to those who are considering the program?
While it is a rigorous program from start to finish, it is one filled with opportunities from day one through the receipt of a diploma. The knowledge gained through research, writing and interactions with professors and classmates helped to make us stronger and better leaders. An appreciation for the value of SEL, along with the challenges our students and staff face, help to make us better people. It is a program that will push you and challenge you, but ultimately will encourage you to be a compassionate and dedicated school leader.
What was your favorite part of the program?
I loved our professors—their commitment to our success was fantastic. Our cohort (the first in the program) was awesome. The opportunity to learn alongside such a great group of fellow educators was wonderful. The experience itself is one that I will always look back upon with fondness, as I hope my own growth and my appreciation for SEL has helped to make my school community’s experience—especially that of our students—stronger and more impactful.
Want to learn more about SHU’s Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership?
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.
SHU doctoral students pursuing education careers who are from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds may apply to the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) Holmes Scholarship Program. FCEHD is one of more than 50 AACTE member institutions that sponsor the Holmes Program, which offers networking, mentorships and the opportunity to present research at the annual AACTE meeting.
Want to take the next step?
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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