8  |  VA L D O S T A  S T A T E  U N I V E R S I T Y
Doctoral Degrees
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION 
Brandon Isiah Andrews
A Phenomenological Study of Turnover and Attrition of High 
School Principals in Title I Rural School Districts in South Georgia
Drs. April Strevig & John Lairsey, Leadership, Technology, & 
Workforce Development
Tory Irene Candea*
They Teach You Things That People Can’t: Exploring Student 
Experiences in an Equine-Assisted Learning First-Year 
Seminar Course
Dr. Gwen Scott Ruttencutter, Leadership, Technology, & 
Workforce Development
Melissa Odom Edwards*
The Perceived Impact of Mentor Teachers and Professional 
Development on Non-Traditional Teacher Retention in Rural 
South Georgia High Schools
Dr. John Lairsey, Leadership, Technology, & Workforce 
Development
Barbara Elizabeth Fernandez
We Are Not the Same: Exploring the Role of Culture on 
Non-US-Born Hispanic Women and Doctoral Degree Completion
Dr. Gwen Scott Ruttencutter, Leadership, Technology, & 
Workforce Development
Diane Gillaspie
Creating “Veteran-Friendly” Workplaces: A Dual Perspective Study
Drs. Jieun You & Jamie Workman, Leadership, Technology, & 
Workforce Development
Azure Star Glover
The Professor Actually Really Cares, and They Want You to Know 
Why You’re Doing It: Exploring Traditionally Underserved 
Students’ Experiences with Transparent Assignment Design
Dr. Gwen Scott Ruttencutter, Leadership, Technology, & 
Workforce Development
Connie Colson Guthrie
Basic Descriptive Study of Mentoring Programs in Accredited 
Christian High Schools
Dr. Debbie Paine, Leadership, Technology, & Workforce 
Development
Amy Kittle Hancock
Effect of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Advisor Mentorship on 
Student Success
Dr. Christopher “Keith” Waugh, Leadership, Technology, & 
Workforce Development
Melissa Shaye Harrell
Influential Factors of Employment and Retention for Female 
Educators in Rural South Georgia
Dr. Reynaldo Martinez, Leadership, Technology, & Workforce 
Development
Lynette Hepburn-Richardson*
Burnout Among Career Counselors in Higher Education: A 
Sequential Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study
Dr. Christopher “Keith” Waugh, Leadership, Technology, & 
Workforce Development
Kelli Holland 
Literacy Professional Learning: A Qualitative Study Among 
Elementary School Teachers
Dr. Jamie Workman, Leadership, Technology, & Workforce 
Development
Jennifer Megan Kacerek
The Stories of Retention: A Narrative Inquiry Study of Special 
Education Teacher Retention in Title I Schools
Dr. Taralynn Hartsell, Leadership, Technology, & Workforce 
Development
Maurice DeAngelo Nelson
Navigating the Margins of Power: A Qualitative Study 
Examining How Chief Diversity Officers Make Meaning of Their 
Role Conditions in U.S. Four-Year Institutions
Dr. Daesang Kim, Leadership, Technology, & Workforce 
Development
Deborah Shay Oliver
Elementary Teachers’ Experiences with and Applications of 
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
Dr. Richard Schmertzing, Leadership, Technology, & 
Workforce Development
Justin Purvis*
Circles of Control: Examining the Relationship Between 
School Leaders’ Beliefs and Math Outcomes for Students with 
Disabilities in Rural Schools
Dr. Kathy Nobles, Leadership, Technology, & Workforce 
Development
Parris Shirona Story
Investigating the Relationship Between Mentorship, Advanced 
Degrees, and Career Advancement Among Mid-Level Black 
Women Administrators in Higher Education within the 
Southeastern Region of the United States
Dr. Jamie Workman, Leadership, Technology, & Workforce 
Development
Kimberly Byrd Subacz
Assessing the Use of Open Educational Resources by University 
System of Georgia Faculty
Drs. Jamie Workman & E-Ling Hsiao, Leadership, 
Technology, & Workforce Development
Andrew G. Welaish
Exploring the Relationship between Undergraduate Student 
Employees’ Workplace Experiences and Leadership Capacity
Dr. John Lairsey, Leadership, Technology, & Workforce 
Development

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