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Congratulations to May 2024 Graduates

Ed.D. Graduates celebrated their achievements at a celebration held at the Watson College of Education on Thursday, May 9, 2024.
Ed.D. Graduates celebrated their achievements at a celebration held at the Watson College of Education on Thursday, May 9, 2024.
Photo: Erin Whittle/UNCW

In May, the Watson College of Education celebrated the achievements of our most recent graduates including students who earned undergraduate degrees in teacher education, students enrolled in graduate-level programs and 11 who earned doctoral degrees. Commencement ceremonies were held May 10 (master’s and doctoral students) and May 11 (undergraduates) in Trask Coliseum.

On May 9, a reception was held to honor WCE’s 11 Ed.D. graduates:

  • Marcus J. Gallagher
    Dissertation title: The Impact of Community College Leadership Behavior on Faculty Organizational Commitment
    Committee: Denise Henning (chair); Amy Garrett Dikkers and Kevin McClure
  • Erin Green
    Dissertation title: “The Last Professors”: A Narrative Inquiry of the Experiences of Partnership Teachers
    Committee: Denise Ousley-Exum and Tamara Walser (co-chairs); William Sterrett
  • Ronice L. Johnson
    Dissertation title: Cultivating Success: Black Women Leaders’ Perspectives on the Impact of Cross-Cultural Mentoring in Professional Growth at Predominantly White Institutions
    Committee: Kevin McClure (chair); Julia Lynch and Symphony Oxendine
  • Tyler Kulp
    Dissertation title: Preparing Future Principals Through Experience: A Study on the Paid Internship Experience of North Carolina Principal Scholars
    Committee: Michele Parker (chair); Yan Liu and Marilyn Sheerer
  • Alecia R. Matthews
    Dissertation title: Reconceptualizing Veteran Student Success: Using a Students as Partners Framework
    Committee: James DeVita (chair); Denise Henning and Tamara Walser
  • Debra Otey
    Dissertation title: Women as Heads of Independent School: The Presence of Appreciative Inquiry on the Journey of Women to the Headship
    Committee: Denise Henning (chair); Satlaj Dighe and Kerry Robinson
  • Mary Stuart Peaks
    Dissertation title: ontinuing Medical Education for Rural Learners: Addressing Knowledge and Access Gaps in Eastern North Carolina
    Committee: Symphony Oxendine (chair); April Matthias and Marilyn Sheerer
  • Sarah M. Smith
    Dissertation title: The Effects of Virtual Socialization on Graduate Accounting Students’ Professional Readiness During the COVID-19 Pandemic
    Committee: Symphony Oxendine (chair); James DeVita and Lorraine Lee
  • Sohail Masood Sukhera
    Dissertation title: Sustainability of US Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools in North Carolina: A Success Case Method Evaluation
    Committee: Tamara Walser (chair); Andrew Ryder and William Sterrett
  • Jeffrey Tilson
    Dissertation title: The Relationship Between Trauma Exposure and Job Persistence in Undergraduate Resident Assistants in Housing and Residence Life Programs
    Committee: Kevin McClure (chair); James DeVita and Denise Henning
  • Carly A. Wilson
    Dissertation title: Support Strategies for Re-enrolling Student Success: A Case Study of the Experiences of the Adult Undergraduate Online Learners in a Degree Completion Program
    Committee: Kevin McClure (chair); James DeVita and Denise Henning

Please join us in congratulating all of our outstanding 2024 graduates!

View photos from WCE’s Spring 2024 Graduate Reception on the Watson College of Education Facebook page.  

View photos from WCE’s Spring 2024 Ed.D. Celebration on the Watson College of Education Facebook page.


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