Preparing the Next Generation of Change Agents through the Educational Leadership Doctorate Program

100 Percent Dissertation Completion with Embedded Program

The most challenging part of a doctoral program is often the dissertation. This extensive scholarly paper requires years of research, writing, and editing before publication. Due to the sheer gravity, many students in EdD programs aim to complete their dissertations after they finish their coursework. “Oftentimes,  students finish their program with an ABD (all but dissertation) next to their degree. Many of those students never finish their dissertations,” said Greg Plutko, EdD, assistant professor. “Because of APU’s embedded model, we have a 100 percent dissertation completion rate for our students; the national average is about 60 percent.” Josh Godinez, EdD ’26, an assistant principal at Centennial High School in Corona, is two-thirds of the way through the program and his dissertation, which focuses on California high school students’ mental health around the pandemic. “A lot of my friends either spent a long time on their dissertations or years later are in the process of completing it,” he said. “At APU,  we’re building rapport with our faculty and cohort, walking through the dissertation process together and leaning on each other. Having that support network ensures we all reach the finish line together.”

Students in APU’s Educational Leadership Program begin working on their dissertations in their first semester. They’re assigned a dissertation chair, developing a relationship with them, and are mentored as they pick a topic and begin conducting research and writing. By the end of their first year, students complete two chapters of their dissertation, which sets them up well to complete it over the next two years. “Through their classes, our students are prepared to conduct in-depth research and back their arguments up with evidence,” said Josh Ryoo, EdD, assistant professor and chair of the Department of Educational Leadership. “This equips them to be excellent leaders.” 

One such leader is Dalia Gadelmawla, EdD ’26, who was recently hired to serve as superintendent of Corona-Norco Unified School District, the eighth largest district in California. Gadelmawla was selected to join APU’s Next Gen Superintendent Program, attending classes on APU’s campus and networking with other future school district leaders. “In that program, I was encouraged to pursue my doctorate. It was something I had never really thought about,” she said. “But I knew several people in my district who got their degrees from APU and the program has an amazing track record.” Gadelmawla’s dissertation focuses on factors that either help or deter women aspiring to become superintendents. Although women make up about 80 percent of K-12 teachers in the U.S., the opposite is true when you climb the ladder, dropping to about 20 percent when it comes to high-level executive management or superintendency nationwide. “I’ve seen a lot of studies on the barriers for women to become superintendents, but I wanted to tackle it more from an aspirational standpoint,” she said. “My findings have been interesting in that a lot of women have the impression that being a superintendent is too political and has too much pressure from their boards and community members. I’m hoping to change their mindset as a new superintendent. It's a way to have the biggest impact I can.”

Cohort Support and Bonding During In Person Saturday Sessions

The best way to persevere through the rigor of an esteemed doctoral program is to walk alongside others who are going through the same thing. Students in APU’s educational leadership program benefit from a small cohort of 10-15 peers who are respected leaders in their own schools and districts. “We walked in on the first day as strangers and now we are the tightest knit family,” Godinez said. “Our cohort has a text thread that is going pretty much 24/7.” Whether checking in about an assignment, celebrating each other’s promotions or major achievements, or leaning on each other during times of loss, students in the educational leadership cohort support each other through it all. “There are times when I’ve felt discouraged or just not motivated to get stuff done in the moment, and I’ll text the group thread and my friends will instantly message me back encouraging me that I can do it,” said Amber Thompson MAEd ’05, EdD ’26, a school counselor and Godinez’s coworker at Centennial High School. “There’s something truly special about the camaraderie we’ve developed.” 

APU’s Educational Leadership program has a hybrid modality to offer flexibility for working professionals. This means that the coursework is split between online asynchronous assignments and 16 in-person Saturday sessions each year. “The asynchronous part allows our students to complete their assignments on their own time, because most of them have families and have to work around their family’s schedule,” Plutko said. “Then on Saturdays, six in both the fall and spring semesters and four during the summer, students arrive on campus at 8 a.m. and go through classes in person together.” After a couple of classes in the morning, the cohorts either order in lunch or share a home cooked meal that one of the students brought in. 

It might sound small, but having lunch and spending time together means a lot,” Thompson said. “When we go to class on Saturdays, I’m genuinely excited to go see my friends. I always look forward to those moments of connection.

Experienced Faculty Pour Into Next Generation of Educational Leaders

Students in the educational leadership program benefit from learning from experienced faculty who have served as principals, superintendents, and other leadership positions in the field. They aren’t just sharing knowledge from a textbook; rather, they impart real lived experiences. “Our faculty are composed of academic research experts like myself and veteran leaders like Dr. Plutko. Students benefit from our variety of experience,” Ryoo said. Plutko imparts his wisdom from more than 35 years across four districts, most recently having served as superintendent of Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified. His connections across the education field in California allow him to stay current with the ever evolving landscape of K-12 education. “I was recently talking to the CEO of the largest K-12 school finance organizations in California on the business side of education, and the next week I was able to share what we discussed about change theory as it relates to the state budget with my APU students,” Plutko said. “That helps our students go back and connect to their work with the constant push/pull understanding of what they’re learning.” More than the connections they have and the instruction they impart, APU’s Educational Leadership faculty truly care about their students and their long term success as educators. “We know what outcomes we’re looking for in our program, and in order to achieve them, we focus on developing meaningful relationships with our students,” Plutko said. “That extends beyond the three years they’re in our program. Our faculty frequently write letters of recommendation and remain available to our graduates  as both mentors and professional colleagues.”

Godinez, Thompson, and GadElMawla expressed their appreciation for their faculty’s dedication and compassion. “Every professor is super gracious and supportive. They are there to help you,” Thompson said. “They’ll Zoom with you, pick up the phone when you call, and always have an open door policy to be available. They never want you to sit with a question that they can answer. It’s one of the most supportive environments I’ve experienced academically. That dedication has expanded my idea of what it means to be a great leader.” Godinez echoed Thompson’s sentiments, adding that APU’s faculty set an example for students to follow. “A consistent lesson our professors have taught us is that you can only lead people who trust your vision and competence. I've learned from them that stepping into a true leadership role means more than just holding a title. It means inspiring others, offering a sense of purpose, listening deeply to those you serve, and leading alongside them,” Godinez said. Gadelmawla has taken these lessons in stride as she leads Corona-Norco Unified. 

Before I became superintendent, I always doubted myself. My faculty believed in me and told me that I could do it,” Gadelmawla said. “They taught me to have a servant leadership perspective. That’s what we’re here to do, to serve kids and the community and my program has helped me see the impact I can have as a leader.

Faith Integration Leads to Transformation for Education Change Agents

Although APU doesn’t require students to have a Christian faith, all courses weave in faith integration. From praying at the beginning of class to assignments asking students to examine their own faith alongside differing worldviews, faculty encourage students to grow in their faith as they become better leaders.“We encourage students to examine what it means to be a Christian leader,” Plutko said.  Godinez appreciates how his faculty share real world experiences of how they lived out their faith when they worked in public education. “While you may not be direct with your personal beliefs in public education, you can certainly demonstrate it through action,” he said. “I live my life by four core tenets: live, love, learn, and serve. Those have  been strengthened through this program and are all Christian values that I incorporate into my work daily.”

Grounded in faith, students who matriculate through APU’s Educational Leadership program exit transformed. They have grown in numerous ways and are ready to be change agents in their communities. “A leadership phrase we talk about in regards to change is, ‘If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less,’” Plutko said. “Our hope is that as our students go out, whether they’re a classroom teacher or a district leader, that not only do they feel comfortable with change as it relates to educational pedagogy, but they seek it and find places where they can use change to affect best practices in their schools and districts.” Godinez is confident in God’s plan for his life. “For me, success isn’t about titles. It’s about transformational change,” he said. “I don’t control my timing. God does. Wherever I am called to serve 10 years from now, as long as I am living a life of service to help the next generation and the community that I am entrusted to be a part of, then I feel like I am living my purpose.” Thompson is equally excited for her future as she enters the last year of her program, equipped to consult with other educational leaders across the country. “At one point in my life, I felt unstoppable,” she said. “In recent years, I lost that feeling and ambition. But through this program, I rediscovered it. I 100 percent believe with my whole heart that I can do anything I set my mind to and create the change that only comes from feeling unstoppable.”