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Ed.D. in Leadership & Organizational Innovation<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n Last month, Marymount University graduated its largest-ever cohort of doctorate recipients. Among them was 75-year-old <\/span><\/span>Marie Gemelli-Carroll<\/span><\/span><\/a>, who earned her <\/span><\/span>Ed.D<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span> and exemplified the <\/span>virtues of lifelong learning<\/span>. <\/span>As the founder, <\/span>president<\/span> and lead strategist of Starboard Strategy since 1995, Gemelli-Carroll <\/span>has <\/span>provide<\/span>d<\/span> strategic planning, issues management and employee engagement services to clients in the government, corporate and nonprofit sectors. <\/span>Through her continued education at Marymount, <\/span>she has <\/span>deepen<\/span>ed<\/span> her professional <\/span>expertise<\/span> and inspire<\/span>d<\/span> future doctorate recipients.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n Before pursuing my Ed.D., I had nearly 40 years of educational and professional experience. I earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Villa Maria College and began my career in teaching. I then transitioned to roles in corporate communications, advertising and marketing agencies and corporate marketing and government affairs before moving into consulting. I also obtained an M.B.A. from Xavier University, which enhanced my knowledge and credibility to serve corporate clients and consult from both corporate and client perspectives. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n Focusing on my professional pursuits and personal life, I didn\u2019t search for a doctoral program until 2021.<\/span> I then began looking for a program that was accredited, flexible, affordable, online and created a diverse and inclusive community of lifelong learners. I would say that \u201cMarymount found me\u201d rather than my choosing Marymount. I found the Ed.D. program checked all the boxes!<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n I <\/span>did<\/span>n\u2019t<\/span> make the decision to pursue the Ed.D. alone<\/span> \u2014 <\/span>my husband and daughters were fully supportive of my decision. Professionally, since I own my consulting practice, I had the luxury of adjusting my workload accordingly. <\/span>Personally, I ha<\/span>d<\/span> to say “yes, but not now” to activities and pastimes that I normally would have accepted or completed without a second thought.<\/span> But I knew once the Ed.D. was <\/span>earned, I<\/span> could <\/span>\u2014 <\/span>without guil<\/span>t \u2014<\/span> set aside time for reading mysteries, baking, cooking and entertaining.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n There are too many highlights to choose from! One would be engaging with faculty, staff and fellow Cohort 3 students. Learning from each other online was unlike any in-person instructional experience I can recall.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n The biggest educational highlight was turning the corner on the Dissertation in Practice manuscript \u2014 completing the draft, working with an editor and working with my Lead Dissertation Faculty Mentor (LDFM) and Committee. At first, we thought the dissertation defense and publication would never come. Then, in seemingly a blink of an eye, it happened. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n One other favorite experience was the Fall 2023 Write-Up lab on campus \u2014 the \u201cup close and personal\u201d scholarly writing coaching experience. The support of the faculty and my cohort classmates who helped me make it over the finish line in both instances were unmatched.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019ve learned a lot about leadership, resilience, inclusion, effective communication and developing a growth mindset. My exposure to these concepts began in the 1980s when I earned my MBA. My consulting practice challenged me to grow and expand my knowledge and ability to lead, manage and model best practices by applying these behaviors. So, the Ed.D. curriculum met me where I was and guided me toward personal and professional development and improvement. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n I learned that Marymount University, its leadership, its faculty, its administration and my Cohort 3 classmates are unlike any other higher education experiences I have had. As a lifelong learner, I am always comfortable shifting from teacher to learner. What I enjoyed was how welcoming the University is <\/span>\u2014<\/span> everyone is focused on doing what they can to ensure students achieve their goal of earning their Ed.D.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n I hope to fulfill my purpose of connecting people and ideas to provide leadership, inspiration, tactics and tools that result in personal and professional growth.<\/span> I aim to continue my consulting practice while furthering my research on cultural competence in patient care. I hope to expand this research beyond health care into areas like education, police-community relations and customer service.<\/span> I’m currently envisioning possibilities, identifying my passions and exploring curriculum development, teaching and research aligned with my dissertation in practice. I’m also actively pursuing speaking engagements, poster presentations and publishing opportunities, integrating my research into my consulting work. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n Finally, <\/span>I hope to use the same skills and tools that kept me on track to complete the accelerated Ed.D. program <\/span>\u2014<\/span> time management, self-care, mindfulness, growth mindset and asking for help. I am intentionally celebrating small wins <\/span>to enhance my consulting practice and providing clients with \u2018good thinking\u2019 for \u2018better results\u2019 in fostering relevance and sustainability in teams, organizations and communities.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n In my defense presentation, I quoted C.S. Lewis: <\/span>\u201c<\/span>You are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream<\/span>.\u201d<\/span> I <\/span>truly believe<\/span> in this mantra, and i<\/span><\/span>f anyone is considering further education, my advice is to find a way to do it<\/span>.<\/span><\/span> <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n I believe <\/span>it<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s<\/span> important to give back. For that reason, <\/span>I\u2019m<\/span> supporting <\/span>Marymount\u2019s <\/span>new Ed.D. <\/span>f<\/span>und with a monetary gift to <\/span>assist<\/span> students as they pursue their <\/span>doctorate<\/span>.<\/span><\/span> I also<\/span> want to help any way I can in recruiting<\/span> non-traditional students so they can have the same great educational experience that I had.<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Class of 2024 Degree Ed.D. in Leadership & Organizational Innovation Last month, Marymount University graduated its largest-ever cohort of doctorate recipients. Among them was 75-year-old Marie Gemelli-Carroll, who earned her Ed.D. and exemplified the virtues of lifelong learning. As the founder, president and lead strategist of Starboard Strategy since 1995, Gemelli-Carroll has provided strategic planning, […]<\/p>\nWhat led you to getting your doctorate at Marymount?<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/h3>\n
How did you balance your doctorate education with your work<\/span> and <\/span>personal li<\/span>ves<\/span>?<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nWhat was a highlight from your time in the program?<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/h3>\n
What is one thing you learned during your continued education?<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nWhat are your plans after graduation?<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/h3>\n
What is your advice to those who want to pursue higher education later in life?<\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/h3>\n
Anything else to add?<\/h3>\n