Congratulations to Maria Regina Tartaglione who on Thursday, April 2, 2026 successfully defended her dissertation.

The title of Maria’s dissertation is, "A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPALS’ IMPLEMENTATION OF COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS INITIATIVES: AN ECOLOGICAL ANALYSIS."

Overview of Problem: The most urgent educational problem in America’s educational system is the disproportionate college access for economically disadvantaged students. Subsequently, economically disadvantaged schools in the U.S. require principals to plan for implementing college awareness and career readiness initiatives.

Research Purpose: To describe how middle school principals at economically disadvantaged schools implement college and career readiness initiatives through the lens of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological system.

Research Design: This study used a qualitative interpretive inquiry to explore the experiences of middle school principals (grades 5–8). This approach examines how individuals make meaning of their lived experiences within social and organizational contexts, allowing in-depth analysis of the perspectives, complexities, and subjective influences that shape their professional practices and decision-making.

Sample: The sample included 12 principals from U.S. public middle schools (grades 5–8) serving economically disadvantaged students. Each had at least two years in their current role, led schools with 25% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch or other indicators of socioeconomic disadvantage, and had at least one year of experience implementing college and career-readiness initiatives.

Data Collection: Data were collected via 60-minute semistructured Zoom interviews; audio recorded with consent and transcribed using Otter.ai. Transcripts were manually coded, supplemented with reflective journaling, and analyzed with Delve software to identify themes. Codes were generated inductively through iterative analysis and systematic refinement, with member checking conducted to ensure credibility and data securely stored.

Findings: Four key themes emerged: Education Beyond Memorization, Every Child Deserves a Champion, Mindset Shift, and We Are All In This Together. Collectively, they form a student-centered leadership that emphasizes meaningful skill development, high expectations, shared responsibility, and strong connections with students, families, and the community, ensuring all students have access to college- and career-readiness opportunities.

Conclusions/Implications: Principals in economically disadvantaged middle schools promote college and career readiness by combining student-centered, experiential learning with equity-focused, collaborative practices across school, home, and community. Sustainable CCR requires systemic coordination, aligning goals with school plans, integrating career connections into instruction, using data to support all students, providing individualized guidance, and partnering with the community to ensure equitable, real-world learning that prepares all students for postsecondary success.

DISSERTATION COMMITTEE CHAIR:
Dr. Susan V. Iverson

DISSERTATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Dr. Martin Fitzgerald
Dr. Nicole Joseph

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Elevate your leadership skills, deepen your understanding of critical and contemporary education issues, and learn to help solve the current challenges in P-20 education.  

Learn to Inspire Change

The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership from Manhattanville, offered in partnership with Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, utilizes a forward-thinking approach to educational leadership that is ideal for practicing and aspiring leaders in any educational context. It is designed to support the goals of educational professionals who seek to develop their leadership skills for career advancement or current job enhancement.   

Learn More About the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership

Honoring the Women Behind the Orton Gillingham Approach

March is Women’s History Month, a time that invites us to reflect on the individuals whose ideas and persistence continue to shape the way we teach and support students. In the field of structured literacy, two of those individuals are Anna Gillingham and Bessie Stillman, whose work helped shape what we now know as the Orton Gillingham approach.

Anna Gillingham and Bessie Stillman

Anna Gillingham was an educator and psychologist who worked closely with Dr. Samuel Orton to develop a systematic way of teaching reading for students who struggled with written language. Bessie Stillman, an educator who collaborated closely with Gillingham, helped translate these ideas into clear and practical instructional practices for teachers. Together, their work helped establish a structured, multisensory approach that continues to guide effective literacy instruction today.

Stillman’s role is sometimes less widely recognized, even though she co authored the original instructional manual with Gillingham and played an important role in shaping how the approach was implemented in classrooms. Over time, the method became commonly known as the Orton Gillingham approach, reflecting the partnership between Dr. Orton’s research and Gillingham’s work organizing the instructional framework. Because Gillingham spent many years training educators and presenting the work nationally, her name became more closely associated with the approach.

This pattern is not unusual in the history of education and research. Collaborative work is often remembered through only one or two names, even when many individuals contributed to the development of the ideas. Women in particular have frequently seen their work reflected in practice while their names appear less often in the historical record. Recognizing the work of both Anna Gillingham and Bessie Stillman offers a fuller picture of the collaboration that helped shape structured literacy instruction.

What began as careful study and collaboration among a small group of researchers and educators has grown into a widely used framework that supports students in many learning environments. The principles of the Orton Gillingham approach remain grounded in thoughtful observation of how students learn best, particularly those who benefit from explicit, sequential instruction in reading and spelling.

Presenter Vicky Davis

Their work also continues through institutions that carry forward the spirit of research, training, and thoughtful practice that shaped the original approach. The Rose Institute remains part of that continuing effort. Through training, professional learning, and collaboration with educators, the Institute works alongside schools and teachers to help ensure that the principles of structured literacy remain accessible and relevant for today’s classrooms.

Presenter Michelle Yang-Kaczmarek

Women’s History Month offers a meaningful moment to recognize the educators whose dedication continues to influence how we support students. The work of Anna Gillingham and Bessie Stillman reminds us that careful study, collaboration, and commitment to students can have an impact that lasts for generations. For those working in schools today, their legacy is not only historical. It is present in classrooms, in teacher learning, and in the continued effort to ensure that all students have access to thoughtful and effective reading instruction.

Presenter Christina Buonamano

About the Rose Institute for Learning and Literacy

The Rose Institute for Learning and Literacy was founded at Manhattanville in 2013 when Sandra Priest Rose established an endowment to ensure that as many students as possible have teachers who are trained in the most effective research-backed literacy instructional methods. The Rose Institute offers graduate coursework and advanced certificates through Manhattanville and professional development opportunities both in-district and through several partner BOCES. 

91¸£Àû School of Education

The School of Education undergraduate and graduate degree programs prepare PreK-12 teachers and administrators, higher education and community leaders, and educational industry entrepreneurs. Having served the tri-state area for over five decades, the Manhattanville School of Education guides new generations of educators to become leaders in their field through unrivaled community-based field experiences in over 25 area schools and educational agencies.

Our graduate and doctoral programs offer a blended learning experience with online, in-person, and hybrid courses, which provide our students with the flexibility and resources they need to fulfill their educational goals.

Congratulations to Chelsea Dicker who on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 successfully defended her dissertation.

The title of Chelsea’s dissertation is, "NEVER OFF DUTY: EXPLORING PERCEIVED ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT AMONG CHILDCARE WORKERS WHO ARE MOTHERS NAVIGATING DUAL CAREGIVING ROLES."

Overview of Problem: Childcare workers who are also mothers of young children represent a vital segment of the early childhood education (ECE) workforce in the United States. In 2024, 68.3% of mothers with children under six participated in the labor force, and 94% of childcare workers identified as female, illustrating the prevalence of women, many of them mothers, within this essential workforce. Despite their critical role, childcare workers continue to face low wages, limited benefits, and high emotional labor, which contribute to workforce instability and turnover rates approaching 27%. Persistent turnover disrupts the continuity of care, reduces program quality, and exacerbates inequities for children and families who rely on early care and education.

Research Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study is to describe the experiences of childcare workers who are mothers of childcare-age children. Drawing upon Eisenberger et al.’s (1986) Organizational Support Theory, this study seeks to understand childcare workers’ perceptions concerning the extent to which their workplace values their contribution and cares about their well-being.

Research Design: This study utilized a qualitative design with an interpretive inquiry approach to explore the lived experiences of childcare workers who are mothers of childcare-age children. Interpretive inquiry provides a lens for understanding how participants construct meaning from their organizational experiences and form perceptions of support.

Sample: A purposive sample of 15 full-time childcare workers employed in private childcare centers across the United States who are mothers of at least one child between the ages of zero and five will be recruited.

Data Collection and Analysis: Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews conducted via Zoom, lasting approximately 60 minutes. Data were analyzed using inductive coding, allowing themes to develop from participants’ narratives. Transcripts were initially hand-coded and then organized and refined using qualitative analysis software. Codes were clustered into broader categories and themes, which were interpreted through the lens of Organizational Support Theory to understand how participants perceived workplace support while navigating their dual roles as childcare workers and mothers.

Findings: Four primary themes developed from the analysis: (a) a double standard of care, (b) the need for flexibility, (c) exhaustion and stress associated with double-duty caregiving, and (d) support for navigating motherhood. Participants described navigating overlapping caregiving roles in which they were expected to provide nurturing care for children in their classrooms while simultaneously managing responsibilities for their own children. Many participants reported emotional exhaustion and persistent fatigue resulting from continuous caregiving across work and home environments. Flexibility in scheduling and supportive leadership were identified as critical factors that helped participants balance these demands. However, participants frequently described support as inconsistent and dependent on individual supervisors rather than embedded within formal organizational policies. When relational and structural supports were present, participants reported feeling valued and more capable of sustaining their roles as both educators and mothers.

Conclusions/Implications: The findings suggest that childcare workers who are mothers experience significant work–family overlap that shapes their perceptions of organizational support. While participants expressed strong commitment to the caregiving profession, their perceptions of organizational support were influenced by the presence of flexibility, empathetic leadership, and organizational benefits such as discounted childcare. The study highlights the importance of implementing organizational practices that recognize employees’ dual caregiving roles. Implications include, but are not limited to the need for childcare organizations to institutionalize flexible scheduling, strengthen staffing support systems, provide mental health and wellness resources, and expand childcare benefits for employees. These changes may improve employee well-being, increase workforce retention, and strengthen the sustainability of the early childhood education workforce.

DISSERTATION COMMITTEE CHAIR(S):
Dr. Susan V. Iverson

DISSERTATION COMMITTEE MEMBER(S):
Dr. Lisa Beck 
Dr. Emily Creamer

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Elevate your leadership skills, deepen your understanding of critical and contemporary education issues, and learn to help solve the current challenges in P-20 education.  

Learn to Inspire Change

The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership from Manhattanville, offered in partnership with Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, utilizes a forward-thinking approach to educational leadership that is ideal for practicing and aspiring leaders in any educational context. It is designed to support the goals of educational professionals who seek to develop their leadership skills for career advancement or current job enhancement.   

Learn More About the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership

Women’s History Month, celebrated every March, is an opportunity for us to honor the contributions and accomplishments that women have made throughout history and continue to make in a diverse pool of fields such as education, art, activism, health care, law and many more. 

The 2026 theme for Women’s History Month is “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future,” set annually by National Women’s History Alliance.

In March (and every month), we acknowledge the need to continue fighting for gender equality while empowering leaders to inspire the new generations to continue this work. We are also invited to reflect on the historical milestones that have made it possible for women to be part of conversations, and lift up the courageous leadership of scholar-practitioners.

"It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent." (Madeleine Albright) 

In this feature, we celebrate, reflect, and amplify important doctoral research, featuring achievements of a few of the Manhattanville doctoral program scholars. The scholarship of numerous members of the doctoral community inspires us to continue building opportunities for the next generation. These individuals are driven by their passion for empowering change and transforming lives. Join us as we celebrate their academic achievements, professional successes, and the meaningful work that they do each and every day.

Dr. Kerri Stroka 

Kerri’s dissertation, titled INFLUENCE OF MOTHERS AND K-12 SCHOOL COMMUNICATION DURING THE COVID-19 GLOBAL PANDEMIC, drew upon contested space theory to uncover how mothers used Facebook as a platform for educational advocacy during the COVID-19 global pandemic and the extent to which their online engagement influenced school district administrators’ decision-making processes. Findings revealed administrators initially resisted engaging with social media but increasingly relied on informal networks to monitor parent discourse. Digital platforms enabled mothers to coordinate messaging and challenge institutional authority, compelling administrators to develop strategic responses and evolve from reactive crisis management to proactive communication approaches.

Dr. Mariya Pushkantser

Mariya’s dissertation, titled ACT LIKE A MAN AND SMILE”: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF WOMEN PRINCIPALS’ EXPERIENCES NAVIGATING GENDER ROLES IN SECONDARY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, used Acker’s theory of gendered organization, to uncover the gendered lived experiences of women, who are mothers and high school principals. Four key themes emerged from analysis of interview data: 1) Textbook Sexism: Credibility Questioned; 2) Smile More: When Looks Define Leadership; 3) I’ve Sacrificed So Much: The Cost of Leadership; and 4) Just Having People: Support Is Necessary. These themes revealed how gender operates through interlocking systems of gendered expectations, perpetuating inequality in educational leadership despite rhetorical commitments to equity.

Dr. Sharon Spencer

Sharon’s dissertation, titled A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TEACHER GENDER ON SCIENCE PERFORMANCE BY FEMALE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, drew upon Critical Feminist Theory and Steele’s Stereotype Threat Theory to investigate whether the gender of high school science teachers affects science achievement for female students.  The study found no statistically significant difference in female students' science performance based on teacher gender.  Yet, gender disparities persist in STEM fields and educational leaders must continue to implement policies that support gender equity in science classrooms.

Dr. Denise Harper-Richardson

Denise’s dissertation, a multi-methods case study titled, ADVISORY AND THE MATRIX: POWER, CONNECTEDNESS, AND BLACK GIRLHOOD, drew upon Black Feminist Thought and the Need to Belong Theory to identify the impact of advisory programs on the connectedness and academic, behavioral, and social-emotional outcomes of early adolescent Black girls. Black girls in advisory programs reported statistically significant improvements in school belonging, emotional safety, academic confidence, and engagement. Participation in advisory programs is correlated with reduced chronic absenteeism, higher attendance, and fewer suspensions. Advisory programs emphasizing culturally responsive pedagogy can disrupt inequities that often marginalize Black girls.

Chelsea Dicker

Chelsea will soon defend her dissertation, titled NEVER OFF DUTY: EXPLORING PERCEIVED ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT FOR CHILDCARE WORKERS WHO ARE MOTHERS, a qualitative study of the experiences of childcare workers who are mothers of childcare-age children. Drawing upon Eisenberger et al.’s (1986) Organizational Support Theory, this study seeks to understand childcare workers’ perceptions concerning the extent to which their workplace values their contribution and cares about their well-being. Findings revealed that childcare workers who are mothers shoulder double-duty caregiving. Implications include to the need for childcare organizations to institutionalize flexible scheduling, strengthen staffing support systems, provide mental health and wellness resources, and expand childcare benefits for employees. 

Nurys LeBron

Nurys will soon defend her dissertation, titled MUJER MARAVILLA: CRITICAL NARRATIVE INQUIRY OF LATINA WORKING MOTHERS WHO EARNED DOCTORAL DEGREES, chronicled the experiences of Latina doctoral earners who are mothers and worked full-time. Drawing upon Latina Feminist Theory, this study found stereotypical pressures rooted in sexism and Eurocentrism; experiences of stress and burnout; support systems that sustained them through hardships; and personal commitments to be a beacon of light for others. Systemic and institutional barriers made their journeys harder, and institutional and policy reforms are needed to support educational attainment among Latinas mothers.

Take Your Career to the Next Level

Elevate your leadership skills, deepen your understanding of critical and contemporary education issues, and learn to help solve the current challenges in P-20 education.

Learn to Inspire Change

The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership from Manhattanville, offered in partnership with Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, utilizes a forward-thinking approach to educational leadership that is ideal for practicing and aspiring leaders in any educational context. It is designed to support the goals of educational professionals who seek to develop their leadership skills for career advancement or current job enhancement.   

Learn More About the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership

Congratulations to Yvette E. Torres, who on Monday, March 23, 2026, successfully defended her dissertation.

The title of Yvette’s dissertation is "CULTURAL MEMORY AND THE POETRY OF PRINCIPALSHIP IN NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS: A NARRATIVE INQUIRY OF LATINX PRINCIPAL LEADERSHIP."

Overview of Problem: Latinx school leaders often maintain a sustained connection to their cultural heritage, which shapes how they interpret and enact leadership within schools. Cultural heritage and values, linguistic awareness, community knowledge, and lived experiences function as forms of experiential knowledge that inform decision-making, advocacy, and relationship-building. These culturally grounded perspectives enable leaders to foster relational trust and credibility among students, families, and staff while advocating for equity within complex urban school systems.

Research Purpose: This study explores the extent to which Latinx school leaders experience their cultural heritage as a resource or barrier in their leadership work within New York City schools.

Theoretical Framework and Research Design: Guided by Latina/o Critical Race Theory (LatCrit), this qualitative study employs narrative inquiry to examine how cultural heritage shapes power and leadership work. LatCrit centers experiential knowledge and cultural capital as legitimate sources of insight into institutional inequities. Narrative inquiry, informed by Clandinin and Connelly’s three-dimensional framework of interaction, continuity, and situation, provides the methodological approach for examining participants’ leadership stories.

Sample: Purposeful sampling was used to recruit five Latinx principals working in New York City schools.

Data Collection and Analysis: Data were collected through two rounds of semi-structured narrative interviews that invited participants to reflect on leadership experiences across time, relationships, and institutional contexts. Participants also composed redondilla poems as reflective artifacts, which served as complementary narrative texts and expressions of cultural memory. Data analysis was guided by the dimensions of temporality, sociality, and place. Open coding identified significant narrative segments, followed by focused coding and cross-case analysis to identify shared themes while preserving individual narrative integrity.

Findings and Implications: Findings indicate that cultural heritage serves as a foundation for leadership identity, relational practice, and strategic decision-making. Participants drew upon family teachings, lived experiences, and community-based knowledge to guide leadership while navigating dominant organizational norms. The study suggests that culturally grounded leadership is central to equity-focused principalship, and that leadership preparation programs and district policy should recognize experiential knowledge, relational care, and community cultural wealth as core competencies that strengthen educational leadership.

DISSERTATION COMMITTEE CHAIR:  
Dr. Peter F. Troiano

DISSERTATION COMMITTEE MEMBER(S):  
Dr. Ruben Barato
Dr. Julie Contino

Take Your Career to the Next Level

Elevate your leadership skills, deepen your understanding of critical and contemporary education issues, and learn to help solve the current challenges in P-20 education.  

Learn to Inspire Change

The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership from Manhattanville, offered in partnership with Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, utilizes a forward-thinking approach to educational leadership that is ideal for practicing and aspiring leaders in any educational context. It is designed to support the goals of educational professionals who seek to develop their leadership skills for career advancement or current job enhancement.   

Learn More About the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership

Congratulations to Jerry Griffin, who on Friday, March 20, 2026, successfully defended his dissertation.

The title of Jerry’s dissertation is "LEADING FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM: AN INTERPRETIVE INQUIRY INTO THE EARLY YEARS OF RURAL NEW YORK SUPERINTENDENTS."

Overview of Problem: Rural school superintendents lead in highly visible, relationally dense communities where leadership is shaped by proximity, limited organizational capacity, and longstanding community expectations. While research documents structural challenges in rural districts, less is known about how superintendents interpret their leadership experiences during their early years in the role.

Research Purpose: The purpose of this interpretive inquiry was to explore how first-time rural New York public school superintendents made sense of their leadership experiences during their first five years in the role. Guided by sensemaking perspectives, the study examined how decision-making, mentorship, gender dynamics, community expectations, and emotional experiences influenced leadership adaptation.

Research Design: This study employed an interpretive qualitative design informed by sensemaking theory and relational leadership perspectives.

Sample: The sample included 14 rural New York public school superintendents (7 women and 7 men) with one to four years of experience in the superintendency, representing districts across the North Country, Central New York, and Southern Tier regions of New York State.

Data Collection and Analysis: Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed using iterative coding and thematic analysis supported by analytic memos and reflexive journaling.

Findings: Five themes emerged: (a) Leading Through Relationships and Visibility; (b) Navigating the Emotional Landscape of the Superintendency; (c) Deliberate Decision-Making as Sensemaking; (d) Mentorship and Informal Networks as Interpretive Communities; and (e) Gendered Expectations and Leadership Identity.

Conclusions/Implications: Findings suggest early-career rural superintendents construct leadership meaning through relational engagement and contextual interpretation. The metaphor leading from the middle of the room reflects leadership enacted within the social fabric of rural districts. Implications highlight the importance of mentorship, emotional support, and leadership preparation emphasizing relational trust and contextual understanding.

DISSERTATION COMMITTEE CHAIR(S):
Dr. Peter F. Troiano

DISSERTATION COMMITTEE MEMBER(S):
Dr. Shelley Wepner
Dr. Roger Catania

Take Your Career to the Next Level

Elevate your leadership skills, deepen your understanding of critical and contemporary education issues, and learn to help solve the current challenges in P-20 education.  

Learn to Inspire Change

The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership from Manhattanville, offered in partnership with Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, utilizes a forward-thinking approach to educational leadership that is ideal for practicing and aspiring leaders in any educational context. It is designed to support the goals of educational professionals who seek to develop their leadership skills for career advancement or current job enhancement.   

Learn More About the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership

Congratulations to Thomas Lambe who on Wednesday, March 20, 2026, successfully defended his dissertation proposal. 

The title of Thomas’ dissertation is "DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATORS IN NEW JERSEY."

Overview of Problem: The school business administrator role has a unique, solitary career path unlike any other K-12 school leadership position in New Jersey. As a result, diversity, equity and inclusion for this position, as measured by salaries, career paths, career choices and work-life balance, have never been formally studied.

Research Purpose: By cross-referencing school business administrators' salaries with district demographic data and career decision factors, this study will use statistical methods to analyze whether salary disparities exist by gender or race/ethnicity when other variables are controlled.

Research Design: Quantitative study using regressions, Analysis of Co-Variance, t-tests and other statistical methods.

Sample: Active certified school business administrators and assistant school business administrators holding New Jersey's school business administrator certificate.

Data Collection and Analysis: Secondary data from the New Jersey Association of School Business Officials, including salaries, demographics, and district-level factors, including size, budget, location and socioeconomic status. Primary data from a voluntary survey will provide career decision-making and work-life balance considerations. Together, they will provide a complete picture of barriers and pathways for school business administrator careers.

Dissertation Committee Chair:  
Dr. Nora C.R. Broege 

Dissertation Committee Members:  
Dr. Peter Troiano
Dr. Lynn Allen

Take Your Career to the Next Level

Elevate your leadership skills, deepen your understanding of critical and contemporary education issues, and learn to help solve the current challenges in P-20 education.  

Learn to Inspire Change

The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership from Manhattanville, offered in partnership with Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, utilizes a forward-thinking approach to educational leadership that is ideal for practicing and aspiring leaders in any educational context. It is designed to support the goals of educational professionals who seek to develop their leadership skills for career advancement or current job enhancement.   

Learn More About the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership

Congratulations to Jennifer McCarthy Templeton who on Thursday, March 19, 2026, successfully defended her dissertation.

The title of Jennifer’s dissertation is, "A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC DIRECTORS’ LEADERSHIP DURING TURBULENT TIMES."

Overview of Problem: Athletic directors continue to experience turbulent times due to the internal and external factors of college sports, ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic, which created unprecedented challenges such as lost revenue, staff attrition and schedule disruption, to current socio-political challenges, such as the U.S. president administration. Additionally, with recent changes in name, image, and likeness rules, as well as student-athlete mental health and the transfer portal, athletic directors must navigate increasingly complex and uncertain environments.

Research Purpose: The purpose for this qualitative study is to describe how collegiate athletic directors provided leadership and executed their responsibilities during turbulent times and describe how leaders (athletic directors) adapted to the uncertain and disruptive situations that they encountered. 

Research Design: This qualitative study employed an interpretive lens to investigate how collegiate athletic administrators managed their leadership roles and responsibilities during turbulent times. The concept of turbulence is drawn from the theoretical lens for this study, Gross’ (1998) Turbulence Theory.

Sample: The study’s sample included 15 NCAA Division III athletic directors, each with at least five years’ experience in the role within the northeast/mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Participants were recruited or referred to by colleagues of mine, social media, and snowball sampling methods.

Data Collection and Analysis: Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the participants and analyzed using Yin’s (2016) phases of qualitative analysis. The interviews explored their decision-making processes, communication strategies, relationship management, and crisis management techniques, among other leadership aspects. This led to the emergence of three themes: (a) COVID-19: “Can we get through this?”; (b) Uncertain Times Ahead: “The next catastrophe”; and (c) Triumphs: “We all made it”.

Findings/Results: This study found that athletic directors managed their leadership roles by navigating complex organizational challenges, fostering strong relationships, and adjusting leadership practices in response to turbulent conditions.

Conclusions/Implications: This informs future research, policy development, and practice by emphasizing the need for leadership preparation that equips athletic administrators to manage complex organizational challenges and sustained instability.

DISSERTATION COMMITTEE CHAIR: 
Dr. Susan V. Iverson

DISSERTATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS: 
Dr. Yiping Wan
Dr. Kevin McGinniss

Take Your Career to the Next Level

Elevate your leadership skills, deepen your understanding of critical and contemporary education issues, and learn to help solve the current challenges in P-20 education.  

Learn to Inspire Change

The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership from Manhattanville, offered in partnership with Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, utilizes a forward-thinking approach to educational leadership that is ideal for practicing and aspiring leaders in any educational context. It is designed to support the goals of educational professionals who seek to develop their leadership skills for career advancement or current job enhancement.   

Learn More About the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership

Congratulations to Nicole Pelosi who on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, successfully defended her dissertation proposal.

The title of Nicole’s dissertation is, "QUALITATIVE INQUIRY OF AN ALTERNATIVE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING PROGRAM AND GRADUATES’ PERCEPTIONS OF SELF-DETERMINATION IN ADULTHOOD."

Overview of Problem: Despite decades of reform, secondary students in the United States continue to experience academic disengagement, uneven achievement, and disconnection from school. Alternative school settings serve to address various needs such as these (Raywid, 1994; 2003).

Research Purpose: Grounded in self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), this interpretive qualitative inquiry aims to describe how AELP graduates from The Silverstream School (pseudonym) make meaning of their participation in an AELP and relate it to their self-determination in adulthood.

Research Design: This interpretive qualitative study, grounded in a constructivist paradigm, explores how Silverstream graduates within a bounded geographic and temporal context make meaning of their alternative education experiences and their relationship to self-determination in adulthood.

Sample: A minimum of Silverstream graduates from 1978-2015 will be invited to participate in semi-structured interviews to assess their perspectives. Recruitment will be conducted through alumni networks.

Data Collection: Semi-structured interviews will be used as the primary means of data collection to elicit reflective accounts of participants’ experiences and their perceived post-secondary self-determination. A document analysis of available curricular material will be conducted to generate a rich, contextualized understanding of the program.

DISSERTATION COMMITTEE CHAIR:
Dr. Kenneth Mitchell

DISSERTATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Dr. Joanne Marien
Dr. Lynn Allen

Take Your Career to the Next Level

Elevate your leadership skills, deepen your understanding of critical and contemporary education issues, and learn to help solve the current challenges in P-20 education.  

Learn to Inspire Change

The Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership from Manhattanville, offered in partnership with Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, utilizes a forward-thinking approach to educational leadership that is ideal for practicing and aspiring leaders in any educational context. It is designed to support the goals of educational professionals who seek to develop their leadership skills for career advancement or current job enhancement.   

Learn More About the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership

Honoring Different Ways of Learning in K–12 Classrooms

Neurodiversity Week offers schools a chance to reflect on an understanding that is increasingly shaping how we think about teaching and learning: students’ brains are not all wired the same way. The variation we see in how students focus, process information, communicate, and solve problems is not unusual; it is part of the natural diversity of human cognition.

For educators, honoring neurodiversity does not mean redesigning everything about school. More often, it involves a shift in perspective. Instead of expecting students to fit a narrow model of learning, we can design learning environments that recognize and support multiple ways of thinking.

For administrators and teachers, this work sits at the intersection of instructional practice, school culture, and a shared commitment to helping every student participate meaningfully in learning.

What It Means to Honor Neurodiversity

The term neurodiversity refers to the natural variation in how human brains develop and function. Students who are described as neurodivergent may experience differences associated with conditions such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, or other learning differences.

In classrooms, these differences can shape how students:

• Focus attention

• Organize tasks and materials

• Process language or written text

• Engage socially with peers

• Respond to sensory environments

For educators, honoring neurodiversity means recognizing that these differences are not simply obstacles to overcome. They are part of the broader range of human thinking and learning. The question becomes less about correcting students’ differences and more about ensuring that teaching practices are flexible enough to include them.

Why Teaching Practices Matter

Many neurodivergent students spend years navigating environments designed primarily for one type of learner: students who can sit still for long periods, process written instructions quickly, and demonstrate knowledge through traditional tests or written assignments.

When teaching practices assume a single pathway to learning, some students inevitably appear disengaged, distracted, or behind.

Yet the same students often show remarkable strengths in other contexts: creativity, visual thinking, problem-solving, persistence, or deep focus on areas of interest.

When educators adjust how instruction is structured—even in small ways—these strengths can become much more visible.

Classroom Practices That Reflect Neurodiversity

Teachers across K–12 settings are increasingly implementing approaches that acknowledge varied learning profiles. Many of these practices benefit a wide range of students, not only those with identified learning differences.

Providing multiple ways for students to access information—through discussion, visual supports, hands-on work, or written materials—can make learning more accessible. Clear routines and visible structures help students who struggle with organization or transitions. Flexible ways to demonstrate understanding allow students to show what they know without being limited to a single format.

Small adjustments in classroom practice often make a meaningful difference. Over time, they also help normalize the idea that students learn in different ways.

A Continuing Conversation

Neurodiversity Week invites continued reflection. For educators, the work is less about mastering a set of techniques and more about remaining attentive to the many ways students make sense of the world—and ensuring our classrooms leave room for those differences.

Staying attentive to emerging research and evolving best practices can help schools continue refining how they support a wide range of learners.

At The Rose Institute, we aim to be a thoughtful partner in this work, offering professional learning and resources for educators and school leaders. Whether you are refining existing approaches or exploring new ones, we hope to support a steady, reflective practice that keeps students’ varied experiences and strengths at the center.

We welcome the opportunity to continue the conversation.

About the Rose Institute for Learning and Literacy

The Rose Institute for Learning and Literacy was founded at Manhattanville in 2013 when Sandra Priest Rose established an endowment to ensure that as many students as possible have teachers who are trained in the most effective research-backed literacy instructional methods. The Rose Institute offers graduate coursework and advanced certificates through Manhattanville and professional development opportunities both in-district and through several partner BOCES. 

91¸£Àû School of Education

The School of Education undergraduate and graduate degree programs prepare PreK-12 teachers and administrators, higher education and community leaders, and educational industry entrepreneurs. Having served the tri-state area for over five decades, the Manhattanville School of Education guides new generations of educators to become leaders in their field through unrivaled community-based field experiences in over 25 area schools and educational agencies.

Our graduate and doctoral programs offer a blended learning experience with online, in-person, and hybrid courses, which provide our students with the flexibility and resources they need to fulfill their educational goals.