When his alarm clock sounded in the middle of the night, Dr. Damien Holguin woke up and logged on to his computer as quietly as possible, trying not to disturb his sleeping family. It was 2 a.m. in the United Arab Emirates — 5 p.m. in the United States — and time for his synchronous doctoral class at Wilmington University. 

“I did get a lot of comments through the course: ‘Damien, why are you doing this? You’re killing yourself.’ I didn’t see it as that,” says Dr. Holguin, the manager of leadership development for Etihad Airways. “I lost some sleep, but all doctoral students are going to lose some sleep.” 

He humbly highlights his fellow students’ commitment. 

“I was always impressed by my other colleagues who finished a full day of work and then came right to that class. They’re switched on and ready to contribute,” says Dr. Holguin, who earned his Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership, Learning and Innovation (OLI). 

A doctorate “can open a lot more doors,” he says. “Now you’re seen as an expert. You’re seen as a trusted advisor — in some ways, an internal consultant for the firm.”

The son of an Australian mother and Mexican American father, Dr. Holguin moved from Australia to California in high school and then joined the Marines. He studied international development at UCLA and began working abroad in 2002, living in South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Saudia Arabia and now the UAE.  

Path to a Doctor of Education Degree

The son of an Australian mother and Mexican American father, Dr. Holguin moved from Australia to California in high school and then joined the Marines. He studied international development at UCLA and began working abroad in 2002, living in South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Saudia Arabia and now the UAE.  

His wife is a Thai citizen, and their two teenagers have grown up in the Middle East. While juggling a full-time job and WilmU coursework, family remained his top priority. 

“That’s something you don’t push pause on,” Dr. Holguin says. “You’ve still got to be there for the kids.” 

He appreciates the support he received not only from his family but also his employer and his cohort during the three-year OLI program. 

“I had a great cohort. You become very close,” says Dr. Holguin, whose dissertation examined mentoring among middle managers. “I thought we had excellent instructors. I thought we had excellent guidance in the way that the courses were structured.” 

Dr. Anthony Buffone, the OLI program chair, calls Dr. Holguin “an outstanding part of our program both personally, professionally and academically.” 

“Damien was always an active member of the cohort, which is something his members appreciated. He is a very thoughtful person who always took the time to listen first then provide insight into the issue or discussion at hand,” Dr. Buffone says. “It was my pleasure to be his advisor and to learn about organizational life in the Middle East as well as to get to know him and his family over his time with the program. I am looking forward to seeing the next level of success that Dr. Holguin will achieve over the upcoming years.”   

Supporting Student Success

At Etihad Airways, Dr. Holguin is busy mapping a new leadership framework and improving efficiencies.  

“The journey hasn’t stopped. I continue to learn every day,” he says and offers some advice to prospective WilmU students. 

“Anything’s possible if you have a good schedule,” Dr. Holguin says. “Don’t let the geographical limitations hold you back.”