alumni stories

Why did you choose to go back to school and pursue a doctorate degree? I set the bar for my personal goals of success at the top, the highest I could go. I didn’t want to go out into the world and find that there were doors that weren’t open to me because I didn’t have a high enough degree. With a PhD, it’s the highest I can go, and it eliminates glass ceilings in the career force. If I want to teach at a university, I have a better chance having a PhD than I do with a master’s degree.

Previous education and degrees earned: Bachelor’s and Master’s

My previous degrees were a BA in Political Science/Public Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio, followed by a Master of Business Administration from Webster University. I also completed various military schools while serving in the U.S. Army.

Why did you choose to go back to school and pursue your doctorate degree?

David Berner, who recently completed his Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership at Northcentral University took a moment to talk with us about his journey to earning his EdD. Dr. Berner was only two courses away from completing his doctorate when his previous university, Argosy, suddenly closed its doors, bringing his journey to a screeching halt. That is, until he found Northcentral University. We took a moment with Dr. Berner to talk about his journey to earning his EdD:

Previous Education and Degrees

Earning a graduate degree can be one way to gain not only knowledge, but real-world experience in your field. For Selena Marshall, who recently graduated with her Master of Science in Forensic Psychology, this was exactly the case thanks to her internship experience.

An online education doesn’t have to be isolating, especially with NCU’s unique learning model which focuses on one-to-one learning and mentorship. Benita Joy, who recently graduated with her Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy, spoke with us about her experience as an NCU student. One of the highlights of her time at NCU was the relationship she developed with her professors.

Dr. Peña earned a Doctor of Business Administration with a specialization in Advanced Accounting from Northcentral University in 2018.  She obtained her master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in communications from Texas A&M International University

Dr. Peña shares why she chose to go back to school, her reasons for selecting NCU and her future plans to continue her education. 

Why did you decide to go back to school?

Dr. Tricia McPheron, a 2019 NCU graduate who earned her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership celebrates her 20th year in education. As the principal of Coopersville Middle School, Dr. McPheron taught for 14 years and served an additional five years as a Middle School Dean of Students/Assistant Principal in a local school district.

Dr. Mike Clumpner graduated from NCU in 2015 with his PhD in Business Administration, specializing in homeland security policy.

During his 30 years of service in the U.S. Air Force, Dr. Fred Edwards’ job titles included Chief, Aircraft Maintenance Unit (AMU); Superintendent, Wing Maintenance Quality Assurance; and Superintendent, Wing Maintenance Operation Control. The proudest moment of his military career was leading his EF-111A AMU from their main operation base in the United Kingdom to Desert Storm. Twelve aircraft and 65 aircrew and support personnel deployed to Incirlik AB, Turkey where they provided Airborne Radar Observation and Warning support for the Joint Air Taskforce.

Dr. Cindy Greenman, earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration with a specialization in Advanced Accounting in 2012. Today,she is an associate professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) where she started and is the Chair of the Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination program. She has been a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) and have been a Certified Fraud Examiner since 2011.