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Dissertation of the Year Award

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We are excited to invite Dissertation Chairs to nominate their successfully graduated doctoral students for the Dissertation of the Year Award.

About the award

This award program was developed to recognize excellence in dissertation work among our doctoral students. The ۴ý, College of Doctoral Studies students who have passed their dissertation defense (with only minor revisions) are eligible for this yearly award.

Four awards will be given out, one per each doctoral program (Doctor of Education, Doctor of Business Administration, Doctor of Management, Doctor of Health Administration, and PhD Nursing).

Awardees will be invited to present their research at the annual Knowledge Without Boundaries Research Summit, where they will also be recognized. Awardees will receive a certificate commemorating their hard work.

Nomination guidelines

Students who graduated in the prior year may be nominated by their Dissertation Chairs. Students cannot nominate themselves; they must be nominated by their Dissertation Chairs, and can only be nominated once.

Download nomination form

Eligibility requirements

The ۴ý, College of Doctoral Studies students who have passed their dissertation defense (with only minor revisions) are eligible for this yearly award. Four awards will be given out, one per each doctoral program (Doctor of Education, Doctor of Business Administration, Doctor of Management, Doctor of Health Administration, and PhD Nursing).

About the selection process

This award program has been developed to recognize excellence in dissertation work among our doctoral students. At the ۴ý, Doctoral students who have passed their dissertation defense within the last year and were nominated by their chairs were considered for this award.

Past winners

Doctor of Management (DM)

  • The Winner- Dissertation Title:
    • Student: Dr. Sai Raghav
    • Chair: Dr. John Sienrukos
    • Committee members: Dr. Mark McCaslin, Dr. Marcia Hill
  • Nominated Dissertation Title: WOMEN ATTAINING SENIOR EXECUTIVE POSITIONS IN THE JAMAICAN BANKING INDUSTRY: A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATORY CASE STUDY
    • Student: Dr. Karrian Hepburn
    • Chair: Dr. John Sienrukos
  • Nominated Dissertation Title: EXAMINING LEADERSHIP STYLES OF A HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATION: A QUANTITATIVE CORRELATIONAL STUDY
    • Student: Dr. Sheila Goldman
    • URM: Dr. Julie M. Ballaro
  • Nominated Dissertation Title Investigative Leadership Styles and Emotional Intelligence of Leadership in Labor Unions: A Quantitative Correlational Study
    • Student: Dr. Jenice Simmons
    • Chair: Dr. Sandra Jenkins
  • Nominated Dissertation Title: EXAMINING THE TENANT SCREENING AND SELECTION PROCESS IN THE RENTAL MARKET THROUGH CYBERVETTING: A QUANTITATIVE DELPHI
    • Student: Dr. Tiffany Brooks
    • Chair: Dr. Susan Ferebee
  • Nominated Dissertation Title: Investigating Leadership and Human-Intelligences During Public-Sector Organizational Change: A Mixed Methods Study
    • Student: Dr. Joanne Principe
    • Chair: Dr. James Rice
  • Nominated Dissertation Title: Job Satisfaction of the Physically Disabled: A Matter of ADA Compliance - Qualitative Phenomenological Study
    • Student: Dr. Constance L. Manion
    • Chair: Dr. Kelley Conrad

Doctoral Degree in Education

  • The Winner- Dissertation Title:
    • Student: Dr. Lyn Shela Heck
    • Chair: Dr. Robert F Amason, JR
    • Committee members: Dr. Mary W. Stout, Dr.Regina Fletcher Sadono
  • Nominated Dissertation Title: PERCEPTIONS OF THE STRATEGIES FOR CURBING EXAMINATION CHEATING IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN KENYA: A CASE STUDY
    • Student: Dr. Zipporah Nyangwechi
    • Chair: Dr. Patricia Akojie
  • Nominated Dissertation Title: INFORMATION LITERACY AND COLLEGE STUDENT RETENTION: A CORRELATIONAL STUDY
    • Student: Dr. Brandette R. Morse
    • Chair: Dr. Mary W. "Mimi" Stout

Doctor of Health Administration (DHA)

  • The Winner- Dissertation Title:
    • Student: Dr. Lee Ann Wright Smith
    • Chair: Dr. Cheryl Anderson
    • Committee members: Dr. Rebecca Back-Little, Dr.James Connelly
  • Nominated Dissertation Title: THE INTRAPERSONAL CONFLICTS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN SEEKING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES: A QUALITATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY
    • Student: Dr. Rayshawn Harris
    • Chair: Dr. Charles H. Elliott

Ph.D. Nursing

  • The Winner- Dissertation Title:
    • Student: Dr. Frank Druse
    • Chair: Dr. Anne Brett
    • Committee members: Dr. Susan Steele-Moses, Dr. Charlene Romer
  • Nominated Dissertation Title: LIVED EXPERIENCE OF AN ICU NURSE CARING FOR A COVID-19 PATIENT: A HERMENEUTIC PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY
    • Student: Dr. Gloria Littlemouse
    • Chair: Dr. Patricia Finch-Guthrie

Doctor of Business Administration

  • Nominated Dissertation Title: Cybercrime Techniques and Detroit Automotive Technology Managers Productivity: A Quantitative Correlational Study
    • Student: Dr. Adewale Aibana
    • Chair: Dr. Janice Cardwell

Doctoral degree in Education

  • Title: INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN AND BLENDED LEARNING PEDAGOGY AMONG SECONDARY MATHEMATICS TEACHERS: A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY
    • Student: Dr.Jenae Monique Whitfield
    • Nominated by Dr. Patricia Akojie, Chair; Dr. Jason Stroman, University Research Methodologist; Dr. Donald Munday, Panel Validator

Doctor of Health Administration

  • Title: COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES: A MIXED METHODS STUDY
    • Student: Dr. Deborah Green-Gonzalez
    • Nominated by Dr. Stephanie Holden, Chair; Dr. Lionel de Souza, Committee member; Dr. Louise Underdahl, Committee member

Doctor of Management

  • Title: PREDICTORS OF WILLINGNESS TOWARDS UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR IN FOLLOWERS OF CHARISMATIC / TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERS:
    • Dr. Wayne L McCoy
    • Nominated by Dr. Herman van Niekerk, Chair; Dr. Diane Gavin, QRM Committee Member; Dr. Amy Preiss, Committee Member