Dean, College of Education Recognize Spring Doctoral Grads

The College of Education celebrated some prestigious accomplishments this past May at the 2014 Spring Commencement activities. Doctor of Philosophy degrees were awarded to five individuals from the Department of Educational Psychology & Higher Education and the Departmentof Teaching & Learning. Each successfully defended their dissertation study in the weeks preceding graduation.

Graduates from the Department of Educational Psychology & Higher Education included Jill Cohen, Joe Ervin, and Leslie Murdock (dual PhD/JD). Jill’s dissertation was titled Cognitive Differences Between High and Low Responders of Tier II Reading Intervention. Joe’s dissertation, Runnin’ with the Rebels: A Phenomenological Analysis of the Experiences of Highly Identified College Student Sports Fans, examined sports fandom here at UNLV. Leslie’s dissertation, titled Effects of the JCCS Curriculum on Juveniles' Legal Knowledge, Competency, and Anxiety, examined aspects of the juvenile court system in southern Nevada.

 Kyle Kaalberg and Cynthia Kimball represented the college’s Department of Teaching & Learning. Enhancing Teaching and Learning through iPad Integration in a Clinic-based Literacy Course was the title of Kyle’s dissertation and Cynthia’s was titled An Autoethnography of Heart-based Hope Leadership: A Matter of Life or Death.

All of the Spring 2014 College of Education doctoral graduates were recognized at a gathering of family members, friends, and faculty hosted by Dean Kim Metcalf prior to the commencement ceremony.