1. Tina Marie Coolidge, M.S., M.S.
Smooth Sailing
Enhancing Drexel University’s Ed.D. student success with responsive innovations
Amanda Colburn, M.S.
Tina Marie Coolidge, M.S., M.S.
Andrea Guy, M.S.

2. Begin by writing down three (3) student success-related challenges currently faced by your program and/or institution.
Make the images nautical things like anchors, ship steering wheels, waves, etc. 2

3. Today’s Sail-Plan Retention Recruitment Structure Student Success
Innovation
Student Success
Make the images nautical things like anchors, ship steering wheels, waves, etc. 3

4. Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Private, not for profit, tier 1 research institution
Established 1891
Brick and mortar with vast online programming
Undergraduate, Graduate, and Doctoral programming
Over 24,000 students
(15,500 UG; 8,500 Grad; 4,600 online)
School of Education, Ed.D. Program
Established 2009
19 full time faculty
300+ students currently active in the program
300+ graduates 4

5. Ed.D. Students – who are they?
Full-time working professionals and emerging leaders
Professional experience in K-12 administration, K-12 teaching, higher education administration, higher education adjunct/faculty, corporate/private sector, not for profit entities, HRD organizations, healthcare, government agencies, United States Armed Forces 
Diverse geographic locations
Scholar-practitioners
Change agents  5

6. Drexel Ed.D.: Challenges
Structure
Program integrity vs. enrollment growth
Scaffolded plan of study
Faculty dissertation support
Recruitment
Competitive market for online program
Decentralized recruitment model
Retention
Challenges of two course enrollment
Adjustment to doctoral level work and writing
Feeling of isolation in online programs 6

7. Using the challenges you identified at the beginning of the session...
share how your institution has managed that challenge, or
brainstorm potential innovative initiatives to manage the challenge(s). 7

8. Drexel Ed.D. Strategies: Structure
Program integrity vs. enrollment growth
Balance FT faculty and adjuncts, strategic assignment of courses
Re-development of Comprehensive Exam
Admissions standards
Maintaining student:faculty ratio
Scaffolded plan of study
5-year plan
Cohort flexibility
Built in research course design
Faculty dissertation support
Early assignment of supervising professors
3 full-time faculty dedicated to serving as supervising professors 8

9. Drexel Ed.D. Strategies: Recruitment
Competitive market for online program
"Drexel Difference"
Partnerships & tuition savings
Diverse selection of concentrations
Faculty engagement
Decentralized recruitment model
Independent recruitment
Understand our student population
strategic with campus partners  9

10. Drexel Ed.D. Strategies: Retention
Challenges of two course enrollment
Program commitment to student success
5 year/unique plan of study
Adjustment to doctoral level work and writing
APA Blackboard Learning Modules 
Live student panel at orientation
Development of doctoral writing level and expectations
Feeling of isolation in online programs
Cohort model and building relationships
High-touch advising 10

11. Take one minute to write down one or two practical steps you can take toward implementing an innovative solution for one of the challenges you identified at the beginning of the session. 
Retention
Recruitment
Structure
Innovation
Student Success 11

12. Tina Marie Coolidge, M.S., M.S.
Thank You
Amanda Colburn, M.S.
Tina Marie Coolidge, M.S., M.S.
Andrea Guy, M.S.