Dissertation in Practice of the Year Award
The Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) is pleased to announce that submissions for the 2026 Dissertation in Practice (DiP) Award have opened. This prestigious award is presented to EdD graduates whose Dissertation in Practice demonstrates a scholarly endeavor that addresses a complex problem of practice and aligns with CPED's core principles.
General Overview of Submission Process
This prestigious award is given to EdD graduate(s) whose DiP shows evidence of scholarly endeavors in impacting a complex problem of practice and aligns with CPED Working Principles.
Guidelines
Submitting institutions may be a Designing & Developing, Implementing, or Experienced CPED member, but must have been an institutional member for at least one year. The Dissertation in Practice must have been successfully defended between June 1, 2025, and June 15, 2026.
The EdD graduate must submit all required documents (.pdf format only) through the online submission process and be able to attend the October CPED Convening.
The CPED DiP Award Committee will select 3-5 finalists who will be asked to submit their full DiP for review. Award Committee members will draw on the DiP Award Rubric criteria in considering the award decisions, recognizing that submissions may vary widely and achieve distinction in many ways.
The author(s) of the winning DiP will be invited to attend the October CPED convening where they will be recognized. The recipient(s) will be presented with an award and a check for $500. The recipient(s) will be encouraged to submit an article to IE for publication based on the DiP.
More information and the application form can be found HERE.
2026 Dissertation in Practice of the Year Award Winner
Dr. Zakkiyya Witherspoon, University of Massachusetts Lowell
2026 Honorable Mentions
Dr. Erica Hazelwood, Radford University
Dissertation Title: Unveiling the Inclusion Illusion: Exploring the Underperformance of Students with Disabilities in the General Education Setting
Dr. Angela Nessler, American University
Dissertation Title: Teaching U.S. History in Restrictive Policy Environments: Primary Sources and Honest History in Secondary Classroom
Dr. Gloria Wojtaszek, Northeastern University
Dissertation Title: Evaluation of Operationalized Systems that Strengthen Support for Vulnerable Youth and Their Families
2025 Dissertation in Practice of the Year Award Winner
Dr. Jenny Riggle, Sacred Heart University
2024 Dissertation in Practice of the Year Award Winner
Dr. Sachiko Oates, Arizona State University
2023 Dissertation in Practice of the Year Award Winner
Francesca Smith, EdD, American University
2022 Dissertation in Practice of the Year Award Winner
Cheyenne E. Batista, EdD, American University
- Dissertation title: "I am not scary. I am strong. There’s a difference." Disrupting misogynoir and transforming interpersonal conflict for Black women education leaders: A multiple case study
- Chair: Dr. Amaarah DeCuir
Martine Howard, EdD, New Jersey City University
2021 Dissertation in Practice of the Year Award Winner
Rev. Dr. Rosalyn Barnes, Fordham University
2020 Dissertation in Practice of the Year Award Winners
Sherisse Jackson, EdD, University of South Carolina
Leslie Richard, EdD. University of South Carolina
2019 Dissertation in Practice of the Year Award Winner
Suzanne Rodriguez, California State University, Fresno
The Urgency of Principal Professional Development and the Implications for Policy and Practice
Additional Resources
All prior DiP award winners and links to their dissertations in practice.
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