Statewide Cooperative EdD Program E-NEWSLETTER

Site Focus: Missouri State University
Moving Forward at Missouri State University
Dr. Cindy MacGregor, Site Coordinator
The past year has brought many changes to the doctoral program in southwest Missouri. These changes include new facilities, new
leadership, new adjunct faculty, and new directions.
The program has its home in the Counseling, Leadership, and Special Education (CLSE) Department. Previously located in one of the
original buildings, Siceluff, in the heart of the main campus, the CLSE department was moved last summer to downtown Springfield.
The Park Central Office Building has been leased by the university and is now occupied by a variety of campus units. The counseling and
leadership faculty occupy the old “trust” department in what was a bank. We even have a vault!
The move downtown came with various challenges and opportunities. New spacious offices and beautiful conference rooms have been
wonderful. Delays on getting technology updates have been frustrating. Learning to ride the campus shuttles to/from the main campus has
been a learning experience.
Leadership changes have also been the norm. The College of Education recently hired a new dean, Dennis Kear, who is very supportive
of the doctoral program and its faculty. The CLSE department said farewell to the temporary leadership of Don Keck, one of the founding
fathers of the doctoral program, as he returned to retirement. We hope to have a new department head in place for the coming school year.
The doctoral program has successfully recruited new adjunct faculty to help with dissertations. We are enjoying the contributions of Dr.
Kim Finch, principal at Pershing Elementary, Dr. Kevin Kopp, principal at Nixa Elementary, and Dr. Denise Baumann, Associate Director
of Residence Life and Services. We continue to enjoy the collegiality of Dr. Jeff Cornelius-White, Dr. Beth Hurst, and Dr. Gilbert Brown.
What does the future hold? We continue to support our students so they can complete quality dissertations in a timely manner, having 75%
of Cohort 5 finished. Also, we will encourage our students to submit proposals for presentations and publications, having just taken several
students to an international conference in Hawaii and various national and state conferences. We eagerly await the ABD status of fourteen
Cohort 6 students, and the arrival into coursework of nineteen Cohort 7 students. Life is always full at Missouri State!
Photo Captions:
L-R: . MacGregor and Watson with four students from Cohort 5 after finishing comps; Dr. MacGregor completing important paperwork
for students who finished comps; Dr. Terry Robinson is excited that his committee approved his dissertation; Three students from Cohort 5
after finishing comps.
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