Leadership, Technology, & Workforce Development - Valdosta State University

Congratulations on a Successful Conference Presentation by Our Faculty and Alumni at GACTE 2026 (Photo Included)

Our faculty from the Leadership group collaborated with alumni to successfully present their work, titled "Unlock Your Leadership Potential: Advancing Your Career Through VSU's Online Leadership Degrees," at GACTE 2026 on June 10, 2026.

The presenters included Twilya Toombs, Ed.S., Melissa Busbin, Ph.D., John Lairsey, Ed.D., April Strevig, Ed.D., Kathy Nobles, Ed.D., and Felicia Sauls, Ed.D. Twilya Toombs, a school counselor with the Bartow County School System, earned her bachelor's degree from Valdosta State University and later completed the Leadership Certification program through LTWD. Dr. Melissa Busbin, a teacher at Tift County High School, completed her Tier 1 Leadership Certification through LTWD.

This session introduced Valdosta State University's online leadership programs, including the M.Ed., Ed.S., Ed.D., and Teacher Leadership (Tier 1) pathways. Attendees learned about the unique features and benefits of each program, how flexible and practice-based coursework supports working educators, and how these programs prepare professionals for leadership roles in K–12 settings. The session also highlighted the real-world leadership skills developed through VSU's programs and provided guidance on selecting the pathway that best aligns with individual career goals and professional experiences.

This presentation is an excellent example of how our faculty collaborate with graduate students and alumni to share their work and showcase VSU at professional conferences.

Congratulations to Dr. Pam Dobbins on Being Named GACTE Teacher Educator of the Year! (Photos Included)

We are proud to congratulate Dr. Pam Dobbins from our LTWD ACED group on receiving the GACTE Teacher Educator of the Year Award. Dr. Dobbins was nominated for this prestigious honor by the Trade & Industrial Educators of Georgia (TIEGA). She first earned the TIEGA Teacher Educator of the Year Award and then advanced to compete against recipients representing other professional groups across the state. Through this highly competitive process, she was ultimately selected as the GACTE Teacher Educator of the Year at the state level.

TIEGA is a professional group within the Georgia Association for Career and Technical Education (GACTE): https://www.gacte.org/, the state affiliate of the national career and technical education association. TIEGA supports and advances career and technical education by providing professional development, resources, and networking opportunities for trade and industrial educators across Georgia. For more information about TIEGA, visit: TIEGA Website https://sites.google.com/tiega.org/tiega/home

This recognition reflects Dr. Dobbins’s outstanding contributions to teacher education, her dedication to student success, and her commitment to preparing future educators. We are honored to celebrate this achievement and the positive impact she continues to make in the field of education.

Congratulations, Dr. Dobbins, on this well-deserved recognition! 🎉👏🏆

🎉 Congratulations to our ALD doctoral student, Jason Reagin, on being selected as one of nine recipients of a Special Recognition Award!

Jason received the Community Builder Award for building a lasting peer-learning network among fellow educators and for flattening traditional hierarchies by participating as both a facilitator and a learner. His work exemplifies how LEGO® Serious Play® can foster meaningful professional connections and cultivate a lasting community of practice.

Jason teaches in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Western Academy of Beijing and is also a proud alumnus of Valdosta State University, where he earned his undergraduate degree.

Please join us in celebrating Jason's outstanding achievement! 🎊

For more details, please see the attached screenshot and follow the links to the news article: https://seriousplaybusiness.com/lego-serious-play-facilitation-excellence-awards-2026/?_kx=floKmWSrs0f7_YjIKzHzzScnDSQiU2kDs9n2vrHYJ4s.SKxHD9

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Diana Hardin on the successful defense of her dissertation, Parents with Pencils: A Mixed Methods Study of Role Strain, Motivation, and Self-Efficacy in Student-Parent Persistence in Learning Support Writing Courses, on May 21, 2026! (Photos included)

Dr. Hardin's research examined how student-parents in community colleges balance academic responsibilities with parenting and other life demands. It examined the relationships among role strain, motivation, and self-efficacy among student-parents enrolled in learning-support writing courses at a community college. Her findings suggest that role strain is often viewed as a challenge rather than a barrier to persistence, highlighting the resilience, motivation, and self-efficacy of student-parents as they pursue their educational goals. This important work contributes to our understanding of how student-parents navigate multiple roles and underscores the value of institutional practices that support their success.

Her dissertation committee includes Dr. Matthew J. Smith (Chair), Dr. Marsha Simon (Researcher), and Dr. Lindsay Bailey (Reader).
Please join us in celebrating this important milestone and congratulating Dr. Diana Hardin on her success!

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Hepburn-Richardson on successfully defending her dissertation, “Burnout Among Career Counselors in Higher Education: A Sequential Explanatory Mixed-Methods Study,” on April 29, 2026!

Her study explored burnout among higher-education career counselors and strategies to support counselors' well-being and performance. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the research incorporated the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Educators Survey (MBI-ES), interviews, and Intellectus Analysis software to examine participants’ experiences.

Findings revealed consistent levels of emotional exhaustion across roles and career stages, while counselors continued to maintain a strong sense of personal accomplishment despite occupational stressors. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of burnout in higher-education career counseling and offers insights into improving workplace well-being.

Her committee members included Dr. Keith Waugh (Chair), Dr. Matthew Smith (Researcher), and Dr. Jamie Workman (Reader).

👏 Please join us in celebrating this outstanding achievement!

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Deborah Oliver on successfully defending her dissertation, “Elementary Teachers’ Experiences with and Applications of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy,” on March 31, 2026! (Photo Included)

Her narrative inquiry explored the lived experiences of eight fourth- and fifth-grade teachers in Title I and non–Title I schools, examining how culturally relevant pedagogy is learned, interpreted, and implemented in practice.

Her committee members included Dr. Christine James (Co-Chair), Dr. Richard Schmertzing (Co-Chair), Dr. Lorraine Schmertzing (Researcher), Dr. Steve Downey (Researcher), and Dr. Felicia Sauls (Reader).

👏 Please join us in celebrating this outstanding achievement!

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Connie Guthrie on successfully defending her dissertation, “Basic Descriptive Study of Mentoring Programs in Accredited Christian High Schools,” on March 25, 2026! (Photo Included)

Her qualitative, narrative inquiry study addressed the problem that while mentoring programs are mandated to support students’ holistic well-being, implementation often reflects compliance rather than intentional relational practice.

Special thanks to her committee, Dr. Debbie Paine (Chair), Dr. Steve Downey (Researcher), and Dr. April Strevig (Reader), for their guidance and support throughout this journey.

👏 Please join us in celebrating this outstanding achievement!

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Justin Purvis on successfully defending his dissertation titled “Circles of Control: Examining the Relationship Between School Leaders’ Beliefs, Practices, and Math Outcomes for Students with Disabilities in Rural Schools” on April 27, 2026! (Photo included)

This quantitative, cross-sectional correlational study examined relationships among school leaders’ motivational beliefs, evidence-based instructional leadership practices (EBILPs), and College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) mathematics progress scores for students with disabilities (SWDs) in rural Georgia secondary schools following the COVID-19 pandemic. Grounded in Self-Efficacy and Growth Mindset theories and guided by the Circles of Control model (Covey, 1989), the study drew on ESR, EER, and the 90/90/90 Schools framework. Data were collected via a survey using the PSES, TIS, and PIMRS and matched with CCRPI scores. Pearson correlations and multiple linear regression were used for analysis.

Dr. Purvis earned his EdD in Leadership with the support of his committee: Dr. Kathy Nobles (Chair), Dr. Marsha Simon (Researcher), and Dr. April Strevig and Dr. John Lairsey (Readers).

👏 Please join us in celebrating this outstanding accomplishment!

👏 👏 Congratulations to Dr. Parris Story on successfully defending her dissertation titled “Investigating the Relationship Between Mentorship, Advanced Degrees, and Career Advancement Among Mid-Level Black Women Administrators in Higher Education in the Southeastern United States” on April 23, 2026. (Photo Included)

Her study examined the relationship between mentoring and career advancement among mid-level African American women administrators in higher education. Using a quantitative survey design, data were collected from participants in the southeastern United States and analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and regression. Results showed no significant relationship between degree level and professional experience. However, career advancement differed significantly by institutional type, and mentoring was not a significant predictor. These findings suggest that structural and organizational factors may play a greater role than mentoring in shaping career outcomes and highlight the need for future qualitative or mixed-methods research.

We are proud to celebrate this achievement alongside her committee: Dr. Jamie Workman (Chair), Dr. Matt Smith (Researcher), and Dr. Marsha Simon (Reader).

👏 Please join us in congratulating Dr. Story on this outstanding accomplishment!

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Tory Candea on successfully defending her dissertation, “They teach you things that people can’t”: Exploring Student Experiences in an Equine-Assisted First-Year Seminar Course, on April 22, 2026! (Photo Included)

Her multi-study design examined student experiences in STRIDES, an equine-assisted learning course for first-year students aimed at developing noncognitive competencies predictive of degree persistence. The first study explored how reflective practices within the course promote identity development, self-awareness, and meaning-making. The second examined how participants made sense of their development and emerging identities. The third investigated whether participation influenced levels of grit, growth mindset, and self-directed learning.

Findings suggest that participation in STRIDES (a) fosters awareness of, and engagement in, relational beingness within higher education and the future self; (b) cultivates learners’ meta-self-awareness of their identities and learning processes; and (c) strengthens grit, a key predictor of academic persistence.

We are proud to celebrate this achievement alongside her committee: Dr. Gwen Scott Ruttencutter (Chair & Researcher), Dr. Kate Warner (Reader), and Dr. Martha Laughlin (Reader).

👏 Please join us in congratulating Dr. Candea on this outstanding accomplishment!