Leadership, Technology, & Workforce Development - Valdosta State University

🎓 Congratulations to Dr. Demetria Joyce on Successfully Defending Her Dissertation! 🎓

The Department of Leadership, Technology, and Workforce Development is pleased to celebrate Dr. Demetria Joyce, who successfully defended her dissertation on July 29, 2026 (Photos included)

Her dissertation, “An Exploration of the Authenticity and Intersectionality among Black Women Leaders in Higher Education,” explored how Black women leaders at predominantly White institutions experience and enact authentic leadership. Through interviews with five Black women leaders, Dr. Joyce found that authentic leadership involves alignment with personal values, purpose, accountability, and responsibility rather than unrestricted self-expression. Her findings also highlight how race, gender, class, professional status, and institutional norms shape how leadership is practiced and perceived. The study offers important implications for fostering more inclusive leadership development in higher education.

Dissertation Committee:
Dr. Jieun You (Chair)
Dr. Nicole Gunn (Researcher)
Dr. Marsha Simon (Reader)

👏 Please join us in congratulating Dr. Demetria Joyce on this outstanding accomplishment and wishing her continued success!

🎓 Congratulations to Dr. Grayson Craft on Successfully Defending Her Dissertation! 🎉

The Department of Leadership, Technology, and Workforce Development (LTWD) is pleased to congratulate Dr. Grayson Craft on successfully defending her dissertation on Thursday, July 16, 2026. (Photo Included)

Dr. Craft’s study, “A Descriptive Qualitative Exploration of Professional Learning Communities and High School Principals: Experiences, Lessons, and Change,” explored high school principals’ experiences implementing Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) in their schools. Her research examined how principals engaged in establishing PLCs and identified practices that may help future high school leaders create productive professional learning communities. Effective PLCs can strengthen teacher collaboration and ultimately contribute to student academic success.

👏 Dissertation Committee:
Dr. Michael J. Bochenko (Chair)
Dr. Marsha Simon (Researcher)
Dr. April Strevig (Reader)
Dr. Felicia Sauls (Reader)

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Grayson Craft on this outstanding achievement and an important milestone in her academic journey!

🎉 Congratulations to Our LTWD Faculty! 🎉

We are proud to celebrate three faculty members from the Department of Leadership, Technology, and Workforce Development (LTWD) for their outstanding accomplishments and well-deserved recognition!

🌟 Dr. Felicia Sauls – 2026–27 Faculty Fellow

Congratulations to Dr. Felicia Sauls on being selected as a 2026–27 Faculty Fellow! The state of Georgia has recognized the importance of literacy; therefore, this year’s COEHS theme is literacy. Dr. Sauls will help organize and lead literacy activities to support faculty professional development within the college.

🏆 Dr. John Lairsey – COEHS Excellence in Service

Dr. John Lairsey was recognized for his outstanding service across the university, college, department, and community. His contributions include extensive committee service, support for students and graduate programs, community engagement, and strong professional partnerships with GaDOE, RESA, and educational leadership groups.

🏆 Dr. Kathy Nobles – COEHS Excellence in Online Teaching

Dr. Kathy Nobles was recognized for her excellence in online teaching. With a five-year SOI average of 4.77, she has earned exceptional student feedback for her knowledge, kindness, and dedication. She has also redesigned courses to incorporate authentic, job-relevant learning experiences and developed an online orientation and student resource repository.

👏 Congratulations to Dr. Sauls, Dr. John Lairsey, and Dr. Nobles! We are proud of your achievements and the many ways you represent excellence in LTWD and COEHS!

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Kimberly Holland! 🎉

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Kimberly Holland on the successful defense of her dissertation, "An Analysis of the Effects of Curriculum Design on Student Achievement for At-Risk Biology Students," on July 23, 2026. (Photos included)

Dr. Holland's research explored the effects of two digital curriculum designs, a pre-packaged commercial curriculum and a district-created curriculum, on the achievement of at-risk high school biology students. The district-created curriculum was developed based on Cognitive Load Theory, Schema Theory, and Multimedia Learning Theory. Using Georgia Biology End-of-Course (EOC) assessment data and teacher survey responses, the study employed descriptive statistics, t-tests, two-way ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis H tests, and content analysis to evaluate curriculum effectiveness.

The findings showed that the district-created curriculum was as effective as the pre-packaged commercial curriculum in supporting student achievement. At-risk student characteristics, including gender, race/ethnicity, and Students with Disabilities (SWD) status, were also found to be significantly associated with student achievement outcomes. In addition, teachers expressed positive perceptions of the district-created curriculum, particularly regarding its support for various learning aspects, instructional design, and visual design. The study concludes with implications for both practice and theory, along with recommendations for future research, including expanding the investigation to other science subjects, examining student perspectives, and exploring teacher perceptions in greater depth.

Dissertation Committee
• Dr. E-Ling Hsiao (Chair & Researcher)
• Dr. Jiyoon Jung (Reader)
• Dr. Matthew Smith (Reader)

Congratulations, Dr. Holland, on this outstanding accomplishment! We wish you continued success in your academic and professional career.

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Melissa Edwards! 🎉

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Melissa Edwards on successfully defending her dissertation on July 15, 2026. (Photo Included)

Her dissertation, "The Perceived Impact of Mentor Teachers and Professional Development on Non-Traditional Teacher Retention in Rural South Georgia High Schools," explored how mentor teachers and professional development influence the retention of non-traditionally prepared teachers who experience burnout but choose to remain in the profession. With the ongoing teacher shortage across the nation—particularly in rural Georgia—this research addresses a critical issue in education.

Using a basic interpretive qualitative approach, Dr. Edwards found that non-traditionally prepared teachers value differentiated professional development and the support of qualified, encouraging mentor teachers. Her findings also highlight that these educators have unique professional needs distinct from those of traditionally prepared teachers, underscoring the important role of mentoring and targeted professional development in teacher retention.

Dissertation Committee:
• Dr. John Lairsey (Chair)
• Dr. Kathy Nobles (Researcher)
• Dr. April Strevig (Reader)

Congratulations, Dr. Edwards, on this outstanding accomplishment! We wish you continued success as you make a lasting impact as an educational leader. 👏🎓

Congratulations to Dr. Brandilyn Stroup on successfully defending her dissertation on July 10, 2026! (Photos Included)

Her dissertation, "Examining the Impacts of Instructional Coaching on Elementary Mathematics Teachers’ Self-Efficacy: A Mixed Methods Study," explored how instructional coaching influences elementary mathematics teachers’ self-efficacy and instructional practices.

Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the study combined survey data with interviews of teachers and instructional coaches to examine the role of coaching frequency, duration, and coaching experiences. While coaching frequency and duration were not significant predictors of teacher self-efficacy, the findings revealed that collaborative coaching and mathematics-specific support were perceived as valuable for strengthening instructional practices and mathematics-teaching self-efficacy. This study provides important insights into effective coaching structures and deepens understanding of how instructional coaching can support elementary mathematics educators.

A special thank you to her dissertation committee:
• Dr. Daesang Kim (Chair)
• Dr. Marsha Simon (Researcher)
• Dr. Felicia Sauls (Reader)

Please join us in celebrating Dr. Stroup's remarkable achievement and extending our best wishes for her continued success in both her career and future scholarly pursuits.

Congratulations to Dr. Meighan Bassett on successfully defending her dissertation on July 8, 2026! (Photos included)

Her dissertation, "An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Quasi-Experimental Comparison of Face-to-Face Hands-On Labs and Virtual Labs in High School Forensic Science," examined how different laboratory formats impact high school students’ skill attainment, engagement, and satisfaction in forensic science courses.

The study found that while both face-to-face hands-on labs and virtual labs effectively support student learning, hands-on laboratory experiences resulted in significantly higher levels of skill attainment, engagement, and satisfaction. By also exploring teacher perceptions, the study provides valuable insights for evidence-based curriculum decisions and supports equitable access to forensic science education when traditional laboratory resources may be limited.

A special thank you to her dissertation committee:
• Dr. Daesang Kim (Co-Chair)
• Dr. Marsha Simon (Co-Chair & Researcher)
• Dr. Felicia Sauls (Reader)

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Bassett on this significant academic achievement and wishing her continued success in her future endeavors!

🎉 Congratulations to Sachem Lane on her well-deserved recognition by WALB! 🎉

Sachem, a senior in Valdosta State University’s Workforce Education and Development program in the Department of Leadership, Technology, and Workforce Development (LTWD), has transformed her passion for cooking into an inspiring career as a trained chef, culinary arts instructor at Wiregrass Technical College, and SkillsUSA state and national judge. She is also currently competing in the national Favorite Chef Challenge. (https://www.walb.com)

Her journey from her grandmother’s kitchen to the national stage is a powerful example of the impact of workforce education, lifelong learning, and dedication to serving others. We are proud to have Sachem as part of the Adult and Career Education family and look forward to seeing all she accomplishes in the future.

👏 Join us in congratulating Sachem on this outstanding achievement!

👉Check out this news article to learn more about Sachem’s inspiring journey and accomplishments: https://www.walb.com/2026/07/01/grandmas-kitchen-national-stage-valdosta-chef-competes-favorite-chef-title/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

From grandma’s kitchen to national stage: Valdosta chef competes for favorite chef title Most people give the favorite chef title to their grandmother or mom...but what if you could take everything you learned in their kitchen and compete for the title yourself? WALB's Brittanye Blake shares how one Valdosta woman is turning her grandmother's inspiration into a shot at the prize.

Check out this exciting news! 🥳🥳🥳 Valdosta State University (VSU) has been ranked the No. 1 Most Affordable Online Doctor of Education Program in the nation by EdDPrograms.org for 2026, marking its seventh consecutive year earning the top ranking. This recognition highlights VSU’s commitment to providing accessible and affordable doctoral education for working professionals.

Through the Department of Leadership, Technology, and Workforce Development (LTWD) in the Dewar College of Education and Human Services, VSU offers three fully online Ed.D. programs: Adult Learning and Development, Curriculum and Instruction (P–12 Disciplinary Concentration), and Leadership. VSU has also received national recognition from Learn.org, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, and The Princeton Review for the quality and affordability of its online programs.

We are proud to receive this honor and grateful to the faculty and staff whose dedication and hard work have contributed to this achievement. Please read the following news article for more details.

Valdosta State University has earned the No. 1 spot on EdDPrograms.org's 2026 list of the Most Affordable Online Doctor of Education Programs.

VSU has held the top spot for seven consecutive years, since the award’s inception in 2020. https://bit.ly/4wibuBH 🔥
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