May 14, 1998
KALAMAZOO -- Sixteen students received doctoral degrees from Western Michigan University at the end of the winter semester in April.
Eight students received doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees, five earned doctor of education (Ed.D.) degrees and three were awarded doctor of public administration (DPA) degrees in nine fields: biological sciences; counselor education and counseling psychology; educational leadership; geology; psychology; public administration; science education; sociology; and special education.
MICHIGAN--
ADA-- Janet H. Vail of 1241 Hawthorne Hills Drive earned a Ph.D. degree in science education. The title of her dissertation was "An Analysis of Fecal Coliform Bacteria as a Water Quality Indicator."
BANGOR-- John P. Burgess of 63702 Maple Lane earned an Ed.D. degree in counselor education and counseling psychology. The title of his dissertation was "The Role of the Parish Pastor as Mental Health Provider: Counseling Competency and Personality Characteristics." He earned his bachelor's degree in pastoral studies from Southern Wesleyan University and his master's degree in general psychology from Virginia State University. He currently is an outpatient therapist at Woodlands Behavioral Healthcare in Cassopolis.
BATTLE CREEK-- Velma Laws-Clay of 77 Harriet Lane earned a DPA degree in public administration. The title of her dissertation was "African American Females and the Glass Ceiling." She also earned her bachelor of business administration and master of public administration degrees from WMU. She currently is director of the equal employment opportunity office at the Federal Center. She received the Battle Creek Chamber of Commerce 1997 Athena Award for Outstanding Business and Professional Woman of the Year and the 1997 Red Rose Award from the Battle Creek Rotary Club. She chaired the Sojourner Truth 200th Anniversary/Commemoration Committee in 1997.
Sandra K. Wayne of 238 Laurel Drive earned an Ed.D. degree in special education. The title of her dissertation was "Implications of Changing to Four by Four Semester Block Scheduling for Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities."
DELTON-- Elaine S. Van Doren of 8501 Keller Road earned a Ph.D. degree in educational leadership. The title of her dissertation was "The Relationship Between Leadership/Followership in Staff Nurses and Employment Setting." She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in nursing from Wayne State University. She currently works as a liaison with the RN Studies Program at the Kalamazoo Area University of Michigan School of Nursing.
GRAND RAPIDS-- Jerry L. Johnson of 738 Giddings N.E. earned a Ph.D. degree in sociology. The title of his dissertation was "Visitor in a Foreign Land: Reflections on Intercultural Adjustment in the Republic of Armenia."
Jennifer S. Thebo of 4273 Sawkaw N.E. earned a Ph.D. degree in biological sciences. The title of her dissertation was "Molecular Staging of Colorectal Cancer: K-ras Mutation Analysis of Lymph Nodes Upstages Dukes' B2 Patients." She earned her bachelor's degree from Alma College and her master's degree from WMU. She was the first person to earn a Ph.D. in biological sciences from WMU. She also is a registered medical technologist and a certified clinical laboratory scientist. She developed the first molecular pathology laboratory in West Michigan at Blodgett Memorial Medical Center and also developed the molecular biology research laboratory for the study of genes involved in colon cancer. She currently is manager of the research department at the Ferguson-Blodgett Digestive Disease Institute. She is the daughter of William and Joyce Thebo of 620 Glenwood, North Muskegon.
KALAMAZOO-- Khalid Mohammed Al Hazmi of 1546 Ojibwa Trail earned an Ed.D. degree in educational leadership. The title of his dissertation was "The Relationship of Saudi Managers' Characteristics and Their Support of the Transfer of Training to the Workplace."
William W. Montgomery of 459 Sunrise Circle earned a Ph.D. degree in geology. The title of his dissertation was "Groundwater Hydraulics and Slope Stability Analysis: Elements for Prediction of Shoreline Recession." He earned his bachelor's degree in geology from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, his master's degree in geology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and his master's degree in hydrogeology from WMU. He is the son of William N. and Evelyn L. Mongomery of 932 Washington Road, Grosse Pointe.
Mohd Tajudin HJ Ninggal of 1940 Howard St. #469 earned an Ed.D. degree in counselor education and counseling psychology. The title of his dissertation was "The Role of Ethnicity Among International Students in Adjustment to Acculturative Stress."
LANSING-- Sharon R. Carr of 1003 Montevideo Drive earned a DPA degree in public administration. The title of her dissertation was "Local-Cosmopolitan Orientation of a University Support Staff." She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from Michigan State University. She currently is a business officer in the College of Veterinary Medicine at MSU.
Catherine E. Earl of 2312 Walmar earned a DPA degree in public administration. The title of her dissertation was "Health Care Beliefs of Nursing Students as Predictors of Intentions to Care for AIDS Patients." She earned her associate's degree in nursing from Lansing Community College, her bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Michigan and her master's degree in nursing from Grand Valley State University. The former director of nursing and allied health at Montcalm Community College, she has taken a new job as dean of health and behavioral sciences at Jackson Community College. She is the daughter of Tom and Catherine Taliaferro of 3419 Cornelia, Lansing.
PLAINWELL-- Suzanne E. Wolfe of P.O. Box 280 earned an Ed.D. degree in counselor education and counseling psychology. The title of her dissertation was "A Sense of Entitlement to Self in Relationships: An Elaboration of Attachment and Feminist Object Relations Theories." She also earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from WMU. As part of her doctoral internship, she worked at the Pikuni Family Healing Center, an inpatient substance abuse treatment facility for Native American women and their children in Glacier, Mont. Currently, she is a psychotherapist at Pathways Psychological Associates in Plainwell. She is the daughter of Lillian Wolfe of 3151 Crystal Lane #107, Kalamazoo.
PORTAGE-- Michael D. Makepeace of P.O. Box 2072 earned a Ph.D. degree in psychology. The title of his dissertation was "The Effect of Rate vs. Number of Emissions of an Operant Behavior on Behavior Probability."
RICHLAND-- Norman A. Lovan of 8749 N. 36th earned a Ph.D. degree in geology. The title of his dissertation was "A Paleoclimatic Study of the Midwestern United States from the Stable Isotope Records in Lake Sediments."
CALIFORNIA
FULLERTON-- LeeAnn Christian of 4273 W. Olive Ave. earned a Ph.D. degree in psychology. The title of her dissertation was "Direct Service Staff's Perceptions of Psychotropic Medication in Noninstitutional Settings for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities."
Media contact: Ruth Stevens; ruth.stevens@wmich.edu
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