First Class of New School Leaders to Graduate from UNCW Educational Leadership Doctoral Program Dec. 11

Friday, December 10, 2010

The University of North Carolina Wilmington's fall 2010 commencement ceremonies will feature the first graduating class of the doctoral program in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.), which is designed to prepare school leaders to excel in Southeastern North Carolina school districts. Two of the first program graduates are African American and 10 are women, two underrepresented groups in school leadership roles in N.C.

This commencement ceremony will include the first African American doctoral candidates in the history of the university, two in the Ed.D. program and one who earned her Ph.D. in Marine Biology.

Launched in fall 2007, the Ed.D. program prepares seasoned educators in Southeastern N.C. to guide K-12 schools and districts to excellence in leadership and administrator positions in classrooms, schools, district offices and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction as superintendents and other educational leaders. The unique program blends face-to-face evening class time with distance education courses to provide accessibility to educators working highly demanding full-time jobs.

The program requires internships in three different areas of leadership – one business, one school/government and one international, which typically includes two weeks abroad and intensive study before and after the trip. Ed.D. students have integrated knowledge gained from visits to elementary and secondary schools in Belize, England, Japan and South Africa into local school systems.

Eighty-seven percent (13) of the doctoral candidates who began the program in 2007 will graduate Dec. 11, a strong indication of the program's success when compared to the 50 percent completion rates maintained by the majority of education doctoral programs in the country. Media are invited to a reception for Ed.D. students Friday, Dec. 10 from 5 to 7 p.m. Call the below media contact for more information.

Featured graduating doctoral candidates in Educational Leadership and Marine Biology (media are invited to interview by request):

Pamela Baldwin, Ed.D., entered the program as principal of South West Middle School in Onslow County. Now director of teaching and learning in Currituck County, Baldwin said, "I now have a wealth of research knowledge that allows me to make better decisions, and I have sharpened my skills to conduct quality research. I see possibilities now that I may have struggled to see before. We need educational leaders that will challenge the norms and make changes that positively impact learning. This program is the start to that transformation."

Deanne Meadows, Ed.D., entered the program as director of secondary education for Brunswick County Schools. Now that district's executive director of personnel, Meadows said, "The international internship to South Africa opened my eyes to the cultural differences of our educational systems. It made me realize how fortunate we are with the level of resources available to our educators and students. We have to find ways to motivate our students to create the desire I saw in the students of those schools in South Africa."

Mark Tracy, Ed.D., is principal at Alderman Elementary School in New Hanover County. He said, "It has been my lifelong dream to earn my doctorate in education. To be a system level leader you need the curricular background, but you also need a sense of business and international affairs. By going abroad, you get to see firsthand how others perceive and value education. This program encapsulates all that is needed to be a leader in today's educational environment."

Elena Gold, Ph.D. in Marine Biology, studied the pharmacology and toxicology applications of marine natural products and how they affect the mammal body. She is applying to post-doctoral fellowships in Hawaii, where she will be moving with her husband, who is in the U.S. Marine Corps. Gold said, "From day one I have been treated more like a colleague than a student. The faculty members are diverse in their areas of study, and I had an advisor whose research is well-funded and well-published, but who gave me the attention that you get at a small university."

Approximately 1070 undergraduate students and 270 graduate students will receive degrees at the two UNC Wilmington commencement ceremonies in Trask Coliseum. Students of the Professional Schools (Cameron School of Business, Watson School of Education, and College of Health and Human Services) will graduate at 9:30 a.m. and students of the College of Arts and Sciences will graduate at 1 p.m. Media should park in Lot A near Hanover Gym and should plan to arrive early to limit disruption once ceremonies have begun.

Media contact:
Dana Fischetti, media relations manager, 910.508.3127 or fischettid@uncw.edu