Point Park University School of Education

Point Park University and the School of Education proudly recognize DR HOLLY A. BOYLES, High School Principal, Huntingdon Area High School in the Huntingdon Area School District, who orally defended her dissertation, "Breaking the Glass and Building the Mirror: The Formation of Female Leadership Identity in K-12 Public Education" for the degree of Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership and Administration at Point Park University on Monday, June 15, 2026.

Chair: Dr. Arleen Wheat
Professor
Point Park University, School of Education

Committee: Dr. Michelle Miller
Superintendent of Schools
South Fayette Township School District

Committee: Dr. Amy Miller
Middle School Principal
Spring Cove School District

Point Park University and the School of Education congratulate DR ISAAC TARBELL, School Psychologist, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who orally defended his dissertation, "Stakeholder Perceptions of IEP Implementation in Virtual Learning" for the degree of Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership and Administration at Point Park University on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.

Chair: Dr Jennifer Beagan
Director of Strategic Initiatives and Community Impact
School District of Indian River County

Committee: Dr. Joseph Sciullo
Assistant Superintendent Elementary Education
Mt. Lebanon School District

Committee: Dr. Amber Dean
Director of Student Services
Highlands School District

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Point Park University and the School of Education congratulate DR DJ EMANUELSON, Principal of Carroll Elementary School in the West Perry School District, who orally defended his dissertation "Framing Minds: How Teacher Metaphors for Student Learning Shape Classroom Culture and the Student Experience" for the degree of Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership and Administration at Point Park University on Thursday, May 21, 2026.

Chair: Dr. Elisabeth Ehrlich
Senior Lecturer
Point Park University School of Education

Committee: Dr. Janice Glunk
Professor (retired)
Point Park University School of Education

Committee: Dr. Kimberly Abel
Assistant Professor
School of Business, University of Pittsburgh

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Point Park University and the School of Education proudly recognize DR KRISTOPHER DAVIS, Assistant Principal of Exceptional Education, Greater Southern Tier BOCES, Bath, NY, who orally defended his dissertation, "The Lived Experiences of K-12 Public School Special Education Teachers: Burnout, Resiliency, and Retention" for the degree of Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership and Administration at Point Park University on Thursday, May 28, 2026.

Chair: Dr Arleen Wheat
Professor
Point Park University, School of Education

Committee: Dr. Amy DeLuca
Director of Student Services
North Allegheny School District

Committee: Dr. Heather Callahan
Special Education Teacher
Wellsboro School District

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Point Park University and the School of Education, proudly recognize DR TRAVIS LEE, Director of Curriculum in the Huntingdon Area School District, who orally defended his dissertation "Integrated Transformational School Leadership and MTSS Implementation: A Mixed Methods Study of Pennsylvania Exemplar Schools" for the degree of Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership and Administration at Point Park University on Wednesday, May 20, 2026.

Chair: Dr. Jennifer Beagan
Director of Strategic Initiatives and Community Impact
School District of Indian River County

Committee: Dr. Andy McIntyre
Research Methodologist
Point Park University School of Education

Committee: Dr. Erica Kaurudar
Educational Consultant
Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network

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Point Park University and the School of Education proudly recognize DR JASON KEIM, Assistant Principal at General McLane High School in the General McLane School District, who orally defended his dissertation, "From High School to Workforce: Perceptions of Career Readiness Among Non-CTE Graduates" for the degree of Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership and Administration at Point Park University on Friday, May 15.

Chair: Dr. Karen McIntyre
Director, Ed.D. Program in Leadership and Administration, Professor
Point Park University, School of Education

Committee: Dr. Kimberly Damcott
Principal
Millcreek Township School District

Committee: Dr. Matthew Lane
Superintendent
General McLane School District

Point Park University and the School of Education proudly recognize DR SARAH PALM, Principal, McKean Elementary in the General McLane School District, who orally defended her dissertation, "Leading the Shift: Lived Experiences of K-12 School Leaders Facilitating Teacher Adoption of Artificial Intelligence" for the degree of Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership and Administration at Point Park University on Thursday, May 14, 2026.

Chair: Dr. Karen McIntyre
Director, Ed.D. Program in Leadership and Administration, Professor
Point Park University, School of Education

Committee: Dr. Shannon Howard
Principal, Shaler Area Middle School
Part-time faculty, Point Park University

Committee: Dr. Kimberly Damcott
Principal, Walnut Creek Middle School
Mill Creek Township School District
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Point Park University and the School of Education proudly recognize DR. ROBERT HALL, Principal in Dr. Cleveland Steward Elementary School in the Gateway School District, who orally defended his dissertation, “Examining the Influence of Emotional Intelligence on School Leadership Behavior: A Mixed Methods Study of School Principals” for the degree of Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership and Administration at Point Park University on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.

Chair: Linda B. Hippert, Ed.D.
Associate Dean, Associate Professor
Director, Career and Technical Teaching in Practice Program

Committee: Mark Marnich, Ed.D.
Professor of Mathematics, Point Park University

William Stropkaj, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools, Keystone Oaks School District

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Point Park University and the School of Education proudly recognize DR. ROBYN DISABATO, MTSS Intervention and Literacy Specialist, State College Area School District, who orally defended her dissertation, "Exploring Teacher Understanding of Morphological Awareness in Middle School Literacy Instruction" for the degree of Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership and Administration at Point Park University.

Chair: Dr. Karen McIntyre
Director, Ed.D. Program in Leadership and Administration, Professor
Point Park University, School of Education

Committee: Dr. Ginny Chambers
Dean, School of Education
Point Park University

Committee: Dr. Amy Crosson
Associate Professor, College of Education
Penn State University

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Point Park University proudly presents 14 amazing students who have earned the degree of "Doctor" in Leadership and Administration from the School of Education and will participate in the Point Park University Hooding Ceremony on Friday, May 8, 2026. We are indeed of these outstanding leaders. We have no doubt they will continue to contribute greatly to making the world a better place. Congratulations!