Tuesday Stanley Ed.D. '05, Vice Chancellor, Student Development and Enrollment Management-

I was initially attracted to the Penn Executive Doctorate Program because it was one of the only prestigious programs that would allow me to continue to work while gaining my doctorate credentials.  I investigated several programs before applying to Penn and I was frustrated by the lack of flexibility with programs that would require that I resign my senior level higher education position and move my family to where the program was located.  Penn brought forward the alternative of treating me like a professional who has expertise in higher education while realizing that interrupting my career to garner my doctorate degree was not a viable option.

Barb Risser Ed.D. '07, President, Finger Lakes Community College -

When I entered the Penn Executive Doctorate program, I had no plans to become a college president some day.  A month after graduation, I accepted my current position and it has been an incredible two years.  My time in Exec Doc gave me a breadth of knowledge that has been invaluable and a cohort of supportive colleagues and life-long friends.

Jo Ann Rooney Ed.D. '05, President, Spalding University -

I appreciated the relevance of our courses and would use information I learned on the weekend to inform my decisions on Monday morning. The curriculum, class discussions and interaction with my classmates gave me the tools I needed whether it involved enrollment management, student affairs issues, academic governance, mission or culture that enabled me to be a more effective academic leader.

Mark C. Reed Ed.D. '08, Vice President for Administration & Student Affairs, Fairfield University -

 My dissertation topic, which focused on presidential leadership in the context of institutional growth and change, allowed me to "get under the hood" of another institution in ways that were interesting, exciting, informative, and thought-provoking.  The cooperating institution was very supportive and welcoming.  Ultimately, I gathered far more data than could be included in or was appropriate for the final dissertation.  The dissertation process ranks among the most rewarding intellectual and educational experiences I have had, and in subtle but important ways it has helped me to be a better academic leader and manager.

Sue Wasiolek Ed.D. '08, J.D., L.L.M., Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Duke University -

I was inspired to apply to the Exec Doc Program at Penn after I had a chance to interact with members of Cohort 3 during their visit to Duke.  Having never studied higher education yet having worked in the field at the same institution for almost 30 years, I found my conversations with Cohort 3 to be invigorating and intellectually stimulating.  The classroom is one of my favorite places and I quickly realized that pursuing and completing an Ed.D. was a new personal goal of mine.  Even though I had two law degrees, I felt energized by the thought of studying higher education with accomplished professionals from a variet of institutions and experiences.