LSUS online doctoral students meet up for education conference in Hawaii

LSUS online doctoral students meet up for education conference in Hawaii

HONOLULU - One might imagine an online doctoral program to consist of a student chained to a computer, feverishly typing a dissertation for months on end.

Not a tropical paradise like Hawaii.

LSU Shreveport students, faculty and alumni of the leadership studies doctoral program gathered together for the 24^th annual Hawaii International Conference on Education.

Ten LSUS scholars presented a total of 13 different pieces of research at one of the most respected educational conferences in the world this past January.

"Any time we get to interact face-to-face with our students, we are going to jump at that chance," said Dr. Kevin Baxter, program director and department chair of leadership studies. "The students really enjoy the experience as well.

"It's a great learning experience because the conference is multi-disciplinary, and I jumped in and out of presentations our students and faculty were making as well as others of interest."

While the program's participants might not usually meet in person until graduation, each class does meet once per week via Zoom to supplement online discussions.

Students in this program must have leadership experience to be admitted, which provides for fantastic discussions online and via Zoom.

"Our students come from all over the country and sometimes the world, and we've had people from virtually every industry in our program," Baxter said. "We have senior military leaders, a leader from NASA with multiple space launches under his belt, school superintendents, a commercial pilot who also flies F-16s in the Air Force Reserves, leaders in the healthcare industry, and leaders in for-profit, non-profit, and higher education, among others.

"The discussions and Zoom class sessions really add depth to the experience."

The program, whose first cohort started in 2014 and first graduated students one decade ago, is thriving because of word-of-mouth from its graduates and its status as the LSU System's only online doctoral degree.

Baxter said he received 285 applications for the spring semester and 190 for this upcoming fall.

LSUS admits 24-28 applicants each semester.

"Everyone in the program at least has mid-level leadership experience, but we also attract executive-level leaders from all kinds of industries," Baxter said. "There's a lot to learn from each other both in the online discussions and via Zoom, and that really sets us apart."

Baxter himself is a graduate of the program as he searched for a third career after service in the Army and in the Louisiana State Police.

He filled an open faculty position in the program after graduating in 2020.

"I heard LSUS was starting a program, and even though it was face-to-face back then, it was right in my backyard," said Baxter, who took classes while finishing his career as a lieutenant with the Louisiana State Police. "I knew I wanted a third career, and I wanted that to be in higher education.

"While I had a lot of leadership experience in the Army and the state police, I wanted that deep dive into the theory behind leadership practices. A chance to conduct original research through my dissertation was extremely valuable for me personally."

That kind of research was on display in Hawaii, where LSUS scholars explored a range of leadership topics from ethical use of artificial intelligence in the classroom, the effect of servant leadership on teacher burnout, and impacts of certain behaviors on specific populations like African-American female leaders and students with learning disabilities.

But it wasn't all work and no play.

Baxter managed to scrape together one play day on his trip, his first time attending this conference.

"I spent the whole day at Pearl Harbor - what a meaningful experience," Baxter said.

Visit the Doctorate in Leadership Studies webpage to learn more.