Come to Manhattanville University to pursue your doctoral degree in educational leadership.
If you’re working or seeking leadership positions in community colleges, Manhattanville University faculty and staff can support you to realize your dream to lead community colleges – something Manhattanville has been doing for more than a decade. Learn about the research and leadership of several doctoral alumni – from NY, NJ, and FL - who are making a difference in the field of community college leadership.
Dr. Jennifer Miller, the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Community College Support with SUNY, and the Executive Director of the New York State Success Center, studied how community college leaders implement and sustain Guided Pathways organizational change. During her doctoral studies, Miller co-authored an article, “Challenges in Implementing and Sustaining Community College Organizational Change for Student Success” with Dr. Christine Harrington in the Journal of Postsecondary Student Success (2023). FMI on this article
Dr. Glenetta Phillips, Applied Learning Specialist at Westchester Community College, interviewed formerly incarcerated Black males about their post-incarceration educational experiences, both in a prison-based education program and in community colleges. Drawing upon resiliency theory, Glenetta illuminated how grit and pride toward their education empowered them, despite having grown up in impoverished neighborhoods, colliding with an oppressive criminal justice system, and grappling with mental health and emotional trauma.
Dr. Phyllis Fein, Business Professor who holds the Nelson Peltz Endowed Chair in Entrepreneurship at Westchester Community College, studied how cultural norms might influence community college students' commitment to academic integrity. She found that, despite behavior of socialized cheating and peer intimidation, it was possible to reframe students’ commitment and perception of education in a positive light with consistent institutional support, faculty who maintained a norm of classroom integrity, and programs like plagiarism education training. Her 2019 research remains important as higher education faces continued academic integrity challenges including by artificial intelligence.
Dr. Donna Rogalski, Assistant Director for Academic Programs with the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, conducted a qualitative study of middle level student affairs professionals’ experiences leading adaptive situations at community colleges. This 2022 doctoral alumna found that the greatest limitations of authority when leading adaptive situations. During her doctoral studies, she co-authored an article, “Increasing college-readiness: Accelerated learning programs for high school students” with Dr. Christine Harrington, in the Journal of Developmental Education (2020).
Dr. Cristina Shams, faculty with the Project Management Program in the School of Engineering at Seminole State College of Florida, studied community college students’ perceptions of instructor feedback relating to self-regulation in an asynchronous course. She found that instructor’s self-regulating feedback can positively affect students and is even more important in asynchronous online courses to promote students’ learning and academic performance. As more institutions of higher education shift to online teaching and learning, her 2022 research is incredibly timely.
Dr. Nicole Joseph, Division Coordinator of the Ossining Extension Center at Westchester Community College, studied midlevel Black women administrators’ professional experiences in community colleges. Drawing upon Black Feminist Thought, her critical qualitative research uncovered how participants were the burden bearers and experienced persistent microaggressive behavior, but also used mentors to empower their efforts as change agents. Dr. Joseph serves as adjunct faculty and a dissertation committee member with the doctoral program at Manhattanville.
Dr. Ian Wolf, Assistant Dean for Student Engagement at Passaic County Community College, presented on his 2021 research, "Border Eclipse: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) of Community College Student Conduct Professionals’ Roles During the COVID-19 Pandemic" as part of the 2024 New Jersey Community College Practitioner Scholars Webinar Series. You can also listen to Ian in a Pathify podcast episode about community college student engagement at https://pathify.com/podcast/episode-43-dr-ian-wolf-on-digital-student-engagement-at-a-community-college
Dr. Candie Lorenz, CTE coordinator at Lakeland Schools and accounting faculty at Westchester Community College, conducted a multiple case study to understand the impact of retention policies and programs on community colleges students. Drawing upon Tinto’s retention theory, Lorenz’s 2017 findings supported previous research on the importance of interpersonal interactions on students’ retention. Findings further suggested that students entered community colleges with misconceptions about the role of value of their post-secondary education, and that the conversion of retention policies into practice, including supporting students in the use of support services, was essential to retaining students.
Dr. Krista Quinn, the Coordinator of the English, Speech and ESL departments and an instructor of English at Rockland Community College, sought to understand how community college faculty cultivate environments conducive to students feeling valued, significant, and like they matter. With the title “You Matter,” findings revealed the importance of inclusive and supportive pedagogical practices, affirming students’ abilities, and intentionally making space for students in the classroom. This mother of 2 was featured on New12-Westchester, modeling for her children that it’s never too late to follow your dreams! Full story, https://westchester.news12.com/suffern-mom-shows-kids-its-never-too-late-after-completing-her-doctorate
