Congratulations to December 2025 Graduates

In December, 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 seven who earned doctoral degrees. Commencement ceremonies were held December 13 in Trask Coliseum.

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

Mary Ashley Burch

Dissertation title: Building Bridges Between Home and School: Examining the Impact of a Family Literacy Program on Early Reading Outcomes in K-1 Students

Committee: James Stocker and Andrew Ryder (co-chairs); Michele Parker and MariaRosa Rangel

Emily Myers

Dissertation title: From Event to Experience: Teachers’ Voices on High- Quality Residential Professional Learning in K–12 Mathematics

Committee: Ginger Rhodes (chair); Satlaj Dighe and Amy Garrett Dikkers

Zachery Temple

Dissertation title: Turning the Tide: An In-Depth Examination of High Impact Principal Leadership Behaviors in Socioeconomically Challenged Elementary Schools

Committee: Satlaj Dighe and Andrew Ryder (co-chairs); Amy Garrett Dikkers

Nakita Thomas

Dissertation title: Burnout, Attrition, Self-Efficacy: A Narrative Inquiry Study of The Lived Experiences of Veteran Special Education Teachers Who Chose to Stay

Committee: Tamara Walser (chair); Ligia Alberto, James Stocker

Erin Williamson

Dissertation title: Workplace Experiences of Women Staff with ADHD in Higher Education and Supervisor Support for Their ADHD

Committee: Kevin McClure (chair); Andrew Ryder and Samantha Silberstein

Kerri Wilson

Dissertation title: The Road to Restoration: Examining Teachers’ Perceptions on Implementing Restorative Practices in Schools

Committee: Dana Stachowiak (chair); Heidi Higgins and Yan Liu

Christie Wuebbles

Dissertation title: Repurposed Faculty Office Hours: An Evaluability Assessment of a Community College Tutoring Program

Committee: Donna DeGennaro (chair); Calvin Stansbury and Tamara Walser

Please join us in congratulating all of our outstanding graduates!