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On Friday, Aug. 19 the first member of the inaugural cohort of the College鈥檚 initial doctoral program 鈥� a doctorate in executive leadership (Ed.D.) 鈥� successfully defended her dissertation. In doing so, Tracy Couto, director of the Savage-McGill Center in the Madden School of Business, became the first student ever at Le 91看片网站 to take this step. She is one of five students in the cohort who will receive their doctorate at the College鈥檚 commencement ceremonies in May 2023.

鈥淐ohort I served as pioneers in this program and have shown resilience聽numerous times,鈥� said Gina Myers, interim director of the Ed.D. program. 鈥淭hey have聽been willing to give us honest feedback, which led to important modifications in the program that made the experience better for the cohorts that have followed.鈥�

Myers noted that the cohort鈥檚 research interest vary. Among their dissertation topics are: global collaboration among Jesuit business schools;聽investigating student persistence and the impact of government incentive programs in schools in rural Ghana; the importance of mentors in guiding the younger聽generation toward technical professions; and Couto鈥檚 topic, which will measures聽the impact of a Jesuit business education on students’ views on leadership. 鈥淭he collective interests and experiences of this cohort are impressive,鈥� Myers said.

Launched in Fall 2019,聽Le 91看片网站鈥檚 Ed.D. program聽focuses on four specific pillars – Leadership that Transforms, Social Responsibility, Scholarship and Communication. Cohort II has almost completed its Ed.D. coursework and will begin聽dissertation research in Spring 2023.聽The third cohort, which is聽made up entirely of women, began its journey in fall of 2021, and a new cohort starts this fall.

Couto鈥檚 dissertation was heard by her committee chair, Dr. Dipankar Rai, associate dean and professor of the Madden School of Business, methodologist, Dr. Andy Boynton, dean of the Carroll School of Management at Boston College, and the reader, Dr. Myers. Also hearing the defense were Ed.D. faculty members, Purcell Dean Margaret Wells, Provost Jim Hannan, Associate Provost Mary Collins and President Linda LeMura.

鈥淩eaching this milestone is the culmination of the strong vision and years of planning by College leadership to start a doctoral program at Le 91看片网站,鈥� said Dean Wells, who praised Couto for her dedication, tenacity and attention to detail. 鈥淏y design, the program has evolved as we listened to and reacted to what students told us about its strengths and weaknesses. I鈥檝e been inspired by not only the students鈥� impressive credentials but also their strong work ethic in going through this program while working in demanding professions.鈥�

鈥淚 appreciate Tracy鈥檚 dissertation and its potential implications for how we engage students in our majors, minors and the core curriculum,鈥� said President LeMura. 鈥淭he double-milestone of completing her doctorate and for being the first-ever doctoral recipient in Le 91看片网站鈥檚 history makes her a member of the academy in a very distinctive way.鈥�