Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) President Dottie L. King, Ph.D., announced the launch of the College’s first Doctor of Philosophy degree program, the highest academic degree that may be conferred by a college or university. The first cohort of students enrolled in the Ph.D. in global leadership with a concentration in organizational behavior and change will begin in August 2021.
The Ph.D. program is being initiated as a part of a Lilly Foundation, Inc. grant for $1 million. SMWC is one of 38 institutions to receive funding as part of the Charting the Future for Indiana’s Colleges and Universities initiative, which is designed to address challenges affecting higher education throughout the state.
“With a thank you to the Lilly Foundation, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College will take the next step in a long legacy of meeting the needs of students, our community and the world,” King said. “This mission-focused and strategically-planned program will equip leaders with the skills to address the global challenges of our world today.”
Newly appointed Dean of Business and Leadership Lamprini Pantazi, Ph.D., has been instrumental in launching the program. Her experience as the director of the Master of Leadership Development (MLD) program and her efforts in the new Graduate Certificate in Women’s Leadership fed her excitement.
“I have always believed that big things can happen in small places,” Pantazi said. “The Ph.D. program in global Leadership at SMWC focuses on how integrity-infused global leaders recognize and reconcile cultural dilemmas by integrating their differences to form a completely new paradigm.”
“I am excited for the growth and expansion Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College will see by adding this degree level to the institution and our program offerings,” said Janet Clark, Ph.D., vice president for academic and student affairs. “Our reputation in the master of leadership development degree has created a natural pathway for students to learn more and contribute research to the changing landscape of leadership especially in global leadership.”
The program will take 42 months to complete in an online immersive format. Students will learn from doctoral faculty in the online delivery of courses and attend virtual or in-person immersive residencies.
Experiential learning opportunities such as faculty-led study abroad provide an increase of global knowledge while immersing with another culture. Enrolled doctoral students can apply for professional development funds of up to $2,500 total per student to increase student access to opportunities such as study abroad, conferences or research support.
“Immersive study abroad opportunities are a centerpiece in the development of the Ph.D. in global leadership at SMWC,” Pantazi said. “The doctoral candidates, by being immersed in multiple foreign cultures, will broaden their own sense of identity and awaken in ways that lead to new multifaceted ideas.”
A growing need for global perspective in business challenges has caused demand for the leadership Ph.D. The program is uniquely designed for those in academic fields or in business settings.
“Our foundresses left their families and homeland of France behind 181 years ago and arrived in Indiana with a global mission. They modeled for us the caring leadership that effects long-term change,” said King.
Prospective students interested in enrolling in the Ph.D. in global leadership at SMWC can receive more information or apply online today.