A Focus on Research Day, planned as part of Walden University’s Ph.D. Winter Session residency, will help broaden doctoral students’ research perspectives and also honor an alumna for work that earned her a national dissertation award.

On Jan. 25, the College of Education will honor Dr. Michaela Cole at a lunch followed by an afternoon lineup of instructive research sessions. Cole, who in 2005 earned a Ph.D. in Education with a specialization in Early Childhood Education, received the Merrill/Prentice Hall and NAECTE Outstanding Dissertation of the Year Award at the November conference of the National Association for Early Childhood Teacher Educators.

The award recognized Cole, who directs the early childhood education program at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, for her dissertation, Mexican-Origin Mothers’ Views of Preschoolers’ Transition to Pre-kindergarten.

Cole will also take part in one of the afternoon research sessions when she serves on a panel made up both of graduates and of students set to graduate at January commencement. Brenda Kruse, coordinator of academic residencies, says the panel benefits current students in a number of ways.

“Students will have the opportunity to hear about the panelists’ research, ask questions, get ideas, make contacts, and see what they can achieve as graduates,” she says.

Dr. Alice Eichholz, director of academic residencies, says that in addition to the graduate session, Walden faculty and staff will present various research-based topics: academic integrity, surveys, IRB (Institutional Review Board), qualitative and quantitative research, and the prospectus. Documentary films on research will be offered as an evening activity.

The Ph.D. residency will be held Jan. 21 to 26 at the Adam’s Mark Hotel–Dallas as part of Walden’s Winter Session. In addition to the Jan. 25 research-based sessions, during Winter Session students will attend seminars, have access to faculty and staff members for advising, and enjoy professional and academic interaction with other Walden Ph.D. and Ed.D. students as well as with graduating students from all of Walden’s degree programs.

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