As head of the Oakland School in Troy, Virginia, Dr. Barton Reese hopes to “make the greatest impact” by leveraging his experiences and skills — skills he refined at Wilmington University and calls “vital to where I sit now.”  

Before earning a Doctor of Education degree, “I was already a head of school. I had started a small school, a high school for students with learning disabilities,” Dr. Reese recalls, adding that “I figured I better go back so I knew what I was doing.” 

WilmU’s Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership, Learning and Innovation program provided the tools to grow his school and guide it through a merger to become the Centreville Layton School in Delaware. 

“I came away with just a wealth of information from people who’d done what I wanted to do and done it well,” Dr. Reese says, describing the “pearls of wisdom” he received.  

Are you looking to lead your organization to its next level of success like Dr. Reese? If so, Wilmington University’s College of Education and Liberal Arts has three Ed.D. programs to fit your goals and accommodate your schedule.  

“I came away with just a wealth of information from people who’d done what I wanted to do and done it well.” — Dr. Barton Reese

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (Ed.D.)  

The Ed.D. in Educational Leadership for K-12 teachers and administrators supports you at the classroom, school or district level, using artfully designed curricula, a hybrid online/face-to-face schedule and accelerated learning options for doctoral study without career disruption.  

“This is a program that can transform you and change you — and how you think about and talk about education,” notes Dr. Todd Hackett-Slimm, chair of the Educational Leadership program. “People often get promotions or change positions while they’re in the program. It opens up doors for people.” 

Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership (Ed.D.)

The Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership, available 100% online, prepares you to meet the challenges of today’s colleges and universities. Individualized, student-driven, guided study coursework puts theory and research into practice.  

“I really believe in the work that we do academically,” says Dr. Stephanie LoBiondo, chair of the Higher Education Leadership program. “Students will grow not only as a student and a professional but also as a human being, ready to be a change agent for good in their community.” 

Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership, Learning
and Innovation (Ed.D.)

The Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership, Learning and Innovation (OLI) equips leaders from all sectors with the competencies to address the complex challenges facing today’s organizations, using a curriculum that combines theory and practice with flexible online and hybrid formats designed for today’s busy professional.  

Dr. Anthony Buffone, chair of the OLI doctoral program, emphasizes that the OLI degree is designed to benefit leaders of any organization. “Our cohorts are made up of leaders from all sectors from across the country and around the world. It is common to see a CEO of a credit union from Michigan learn side by side with an HR director from Pennsylvania and a fire chief from Oregon, as well as educational leaders in both higher education and K-12 systems.” 

Dr. Maureen Shockley, a 2022 graduate of the program, serves as the director of learning and development at Sun East Federal Credit Union and an adjunct professor at WilmU. She refers to OLI as “a big-picture degree.”  

“It’s all of the things that enable an organization to help its employees or members perform at their highest level,” Dr. Shockley says. “I’ve been doing it for 30 years, and I’m just glad to have the credential now that says I’m an expert.” 

All three Ed.D. programs feature hands-on learning and cohort models, which foster collaboration with fellow candidates. You can customize your degree with a choice of concentrations and complete it in as little as three years.  

“The cohort model and the real personal relationships that you get to establish with the faculty went miles,” Dr. Reese says. “I learned how to be a leader, the emotional piece as well.” 

Ready to take the next step? Find out more about Wilmington University’s programs for education leaders.