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The COVID-19 pandemic has brought enormous upheaval and changes for almost everyone in society. In the field of Education, teachers at all levels are acutely aware that most schools were forced to provide some form of emergency remote learning in place of traditional on-ground instruction (Kelly, 2020). New, sudden, and ever-changing teaching and learning modalities became the reality for instructors and students this school year (Supiano, 2020).

I have been an instructor and a dissertation chair for quite a while. Most of my students are in the United States but many are also from around the world including China, Africa, South America, the Pacific Islands, and Canada. They come from diverse backgrounds and experiences. These students come to a doctoral program for a number of reasons – to achieve their dream of becoming a doctor in their chosen field, conduct research to make a difference, learn more about what it means to be a scholar, or be able to wear a cool tam instead of a mortar board ;-)

In the United States, African Americans (descendants of enslaved Black people) recognize and celebrate the end of slavery on June 19, or Juneteenth.

In this blog series, we talk to NCU alumni who are improving the human condition and making change for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Dr. Dave Ferreira received his Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership from NCU in 2017. Today he works in academia and in April was hired as provost and vice president of academic affairs of Charter Oak State College, Connecticut’s public online college.

What does earning your graduate degree mean to you?

In May we were fortunate to graduate our first group of students completing coursework at the John F. Kennedy School of Law at NCU. This group of students has navigated more than the average law student over the past year, and we’re proud to be part of their career and life journeys.

NCU offers Bachelor of Legal Studies, Juris Doctorate, and paralegal certificate programs. Programs are 100% online and designed to fit around your schedule, which makes NCU a popular choice with working professionals.

Getting your master’s degree is a great way to reach your goals and dream career. But deciding what kind of program is right for you can be a difficult decision. How do you choose which master’s degree program to enroll in?

Here are a few questions to ask yourself as you determine if you should get your master’s degree.

Dr. Christina Parker completed her PhD in Technology and Innovation Management in December 2020 and defended her dissertation in January 2021. She is a senior clinical project manager at a hospital in Virginia, while also growing a business management company, Global 1 Consulting, and developing a cybersecurity company, Titanium CyberForce.

Psalm 8 asks, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him?" The scientist answers, "Man is a product of internal and external forces." Each person is the result of interaction between biological heritage and cultural history. The kind of person you are and what you do depend on both raw material (heredity) and what you do with this raw material (how it is shaped and grown).

For many leaders, the COVID-19 crisis presented a level of adversity that redefined best practices in traditional, face-to-face HR workforce environments. The rise of the global pandemic happened so fast that many HR leaders were forced to make decisions without the ability to accurately predict the magnitude of the consequences that would follow.

We had a Blackboard discussion forum in the hybrid doctoral program I attended. One of the discussion threads was called “Water Cooler.” An introvert by nature, I tended to disregard the Water Cooler conversation. I was a busy Mom, and unsure about how to engage in this online banter. On the evening my qualifying papers for doctoral candidacy were due, I learned an important lesson about relationships and online learning.