Rooted in Care, Designed for Impact

Advancing Scholar-Practitioners through an Inclusive and Innovative EdD Program

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/ie.2026.551

Keywords:

EdD programs, CPED framework, equity-centered leadership, scholar-practitioners, program design

Abstract

This article highlights the design, implementation, and impact of Marymount University’s EdD in Educational Leadership and Organizational Innovation, a program recognized as a finalist for the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) Program of the Year Award. Grounded in equity, innovation, and care, the program prepares diverse mid- to senior-level professionals as scholar-practitioners who address complex problems of practice across sectors. Using the CPED Framework as a foundation, the program is organized around four High-Impact Student Experience pillars: intentional program design, high-touch student support, a reimagined dissertation mentorship model, and transformative student engagement. Through collaborative self-study, stakeholder reflection, and evidence of student, faculty, and alumni outcomes, this article demonstrates how the program advances leadership capacity, fosters equity-centered inquiry, and strengthens communities of practice. The findings contribute to scholarship on EdD program transformation and underscore the potential of CPED-aligned models to cultivate lasting institutional and societal impact.

Author Biographies

Clara Hauth, Marymount University

Associate Professor, Marymount University

School of Education 

Ruth Boyd, Marymount University

Professor of Practice 

School of Education 

Jennifer Crystle, Marymount University

Assistant Professor, Marymount University

School of Education 

Jennifer Thompson, Marymount University

Assessment Manager

School of Education 

References

Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED). (n.d.). The CPED Framework. https://www.cpedinitiative.org/the-framework

Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2001). Critical thinking, cognitive presence, and computer conferencing in distance education. American Journal of Distance Education, 15(1), 1, 7–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/08923640109527071

Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F. III, Swanson, R. A., & Robinson, P. A. (1973). The adult learner: A neglected species. Gulf Publication Company.

Marotta, J. (2022). [Unpublished raw data on the perceptions of CPED principles in online EdD program]. Marymount University.

Mezirow, J., Taylor, E. W., & Associates. (2009). Transformative learning in practice: Insights from community, workplace, and higher education. Jossey-Bass.

Noddings, N. (2013). Caring: A relational approach to ethics and moral education. University of California Press.

Perry, J. A., & Abruzzo, E. (2020). Preparing the scholarly practitioner: The importance of socialization in CPED-influenced EdD programs. In J. C. Weidman, & L. DeAngelo (Eds.), Socialization in higher education and the early career: Theory, research and application. (pp. 129-146). Springer.

Taylor, E. W. (2007). An update of transformative learning theory: A critical review of the empirical research (1999-2005). International Journal of Lifelong Education, 26, 173–191.

The Socratic Method. (n.d). Henry Matisse: ‘Creativity takes courage.’ https://medium.com/@jenprecourt/creativity-takes-courage-e0f5f9ec8808

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Published

2026-04-30

How to Cite

Marotta, J., Hauth, C., Boyd, R., Crystle, J., & Thompson, J. (2026). Rooted in Care, Designed for Impact: Advancing Scholar-Practitioners through an Inclusive and Innovative EdD Program . Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice, 11(2), 20–27. https://doi.org/10.5195/ie.2026.551

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 2 (2026): Reimagining the EdD: Innovations from the 2024 CPED Program of the Year Winner and Finalists

Section

Themed-Exemplary Program of the Year Finalists

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Jessica Marotta, Clara Hauth, Ruth Boyd, Jennifer Crystle, Jennifer Thompson

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