The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership in Appalachian State University’s Reich College of Education held their annual Spring Symposium on Friday, March 23, 2018. The event included the Alice Pheobe Naylor Outstanding Dissertation Award presentation and a panel discussion with former recipients, presentations from current doctoral students and recent program graduates, and faculty research presentations.
Drs. Star Brown and John Robinson were named 2017-18 joint recipients of the Naylor Award.
Dr. Star Brown (left) and Dr. John Robinson (right), 2017-18 Naylor Award recipients pose with Dr. Alice Naylor for whom the award is named. Photo by Chase Reynolds.
Brown’s dissertation is titled “Doing, Undoing, and Redoing Collegiate Athletics: Conceptual Tales of Marginality and Mattering” and Robinson’s dissertation is titled “A Postmodern Analysis of the Practice of Using Value-Added Measures to Determent Teachers Effectiveness.”
The award, which is selected by faculty committee, is presented annually to a doctoral program student(s) for best dissertation. Former winners and their dissertation titles are:
- Angela Wright (2009): Ordered chaos: the implication of childbearing and the underrepresentation of women in educational leadership positions
- Susan McCracken (2010): A program evaluation of North Carolina's Statewide Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP)
- Todd Clifford Martin (2011): Cognitive and Non-Cognitive College Readiness in Participants in Three Concurrent Enrollment Programs at a North Carolina Community College
- Danielle Madrazo (2012): The effect of technology infusion on at-risk high school students' motivation to learn
- Wayne Matthews (2013): Spirituality as a component of transformational leadership among selected North Carolina Community College presidents
- Cama J Duke (2014): Integrative Learning within Tutoring in Higher Education: Contexts for Connections
- Amie Snow (2015): A comparative evaluation of instructional levels determined by the text reading and comprehension assessment and an informal reading inventory
- Fran Bates Oates (2016): Women in the mirror seeing ourselves a new anarrativeinquiryandautoethnographicexplorationoftheHBCU relational in institutional impact on the social justice disposition of white female education graduates
- Leslie McKesson (2017): Determined to rise: A Conceptual and Counter narrative analysis of the higher education attainment experiences of three African American men
This year marked the 10th anniversary, and former recipients participated in the symposium as part of a panel that provided them with an opportunity to reflect on their role as leaders as well as question whether they are doing enough for their communities. The panel was moderated by Dr. Alice Naylor and former doctoral program director, Dr. Jim Killacky.
Former Naylor Awards recipients participated in the Doctoral Symposium as part of a panel discussion moderated by Drs. Alice Naylor and Jim Killacky. Photo by Audrey Jones.
Panel members were:
- Dr. Angela Wright, Senior Director of the Office of Grants and Strategic Advancement for Wake County Public Schools
- Dr. Susan McCracken, Director of Career Development at Appalachian State University
- Dr. Danielle Madrazo, Associate Professor and Director of Teacher Education at NC Wesleyan College
- Dr. Wayne Matthews, Director of Operations at Surry Community College
- Dr. Amie Snow, Instructional Facilitator at Ibraham Elementary School in Winston Salem
- Dr. Fran Bates Oates Director of Field and Clinical Experiences at Winston Salem State University
- Dr. Leslie McKesson, Dean of Business, Public Services, and Academic Support at Western Piedmont Community College
In their remarks, the panel members praised Appalachian for the quality education they received, calling their time here one of great discovery and growth through the rich interdisciplinary opportunities offered to them.
“I left with a different Fran than the one I came in with,” said Bates Oates.
“I left with a different Fran than the one I came in with.”
Others shared similar reflections, noting that they find themselves in positions to lead and teach others to be leaders in their fields. One panel member added, “we are a bridge between our communities and the knowledge we gained in the doctoral program; it’s up to us to make that happen.”
They shared that the program focuses on:
- Social justice
- Interdisciplinary collaboration
- Leading with humanity
- And more!
“Leadership can sometimes be inhumane. Appalachian tries to make leadership humane.”
During the discussion, moderators and symposium participants queried panel members about their current work and leadership roles as well as publications, awards and grant-funded projects.
In addition, panel members acknowledged and addressed challenges in education, including increasing school re-segregation, funding-related concerns, school accountability, teacher shortages due to lower enrollment rates in teacher education programs and legislative actions, and they shared their desire to do more to lead and support other education leaders. They asked and challenged participants to consider:
- How can educational leaders make their scholarly work more digestible to the public?
- What is the meaning of leadership roles in a democracy?
- How can educators ‘unpack’ words like “social justice” to understand how to effectively teach all students?
- How can the education community keep diverse voices at the table?
Former and current Naylor Award recipients and panel members pose with Dr. Alice Naylor. Top row, from left: Dr. John Robinson, Dr. Wayne Matthews, Dr. Leslie McKesson. Middle row: Dr. Fran Bates Oates, Dr. Susan McCracken, Dr. Amie Snow. Front row: Dr. Star Brown, Dr. Alice Naylor, Dr. Angela Wright. Photo by Chase Reynolds.
Symposium attendees were inspired by the presentations, panel discussion and the accomplishments of the Naylor Award recipients and panel members.
Contributed by Audrey Dentith, Tracy Goodson Espy, Alice Naylor and Jim Killacky.
Dr. Alice Naylor
