University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies Announces Winners of 2024 Dissertation of the Year Award

Exceptional dissertations by Dr. Mikel Yost, Dr. Ramey Benfield, and Dr. April LaFontaine in the academic fields of Business Management, Education and Health Administration to be honored at the Knowledge Without Boundaries Research Summit

The University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies has announced the winners of its 2024 Dissertation of the Year Award. All winners and nominees will be recognized at the university’s annual Knowledge Without Boundaries (KWB) Research Summit on October 17, 2024. The Dissertation of the Year winners will receive a certificate commemorating their hard work and all nominees are invited to present their research at the summit.

“Completing the dissertation is a seminal event for our practitioner doctoral candidates and this recognition offers an opportunity to celebrate exceptional dissertation quality,” said Mansureh Kebritchi, Ph.D., chair, Center for Educational and Instructional Technology Research (CEITR). “Recognizing dissertation excellence honors the work of these new doctors, the contributions of faculty, and uplifts the doctoral candidate community.”

The 2024 Dissertation of the Year Award Winners are:

• Mikel Yost, DM, Doctor of Management, for their dissertation, Leadership Style of call-center Management post-covid-19: A Mixed Methods Descriptive Exploratory Case Study. Chair: James Ziegler, Ph.D.
•  Ramey Benfield, Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration, for their dissertation, Federal grant awards at Women’s and minority-serving institutions: A Causal Comparative Study. Chair: Patricia Akojie, Ph.D.
• April LaFontaine, DHA, Doctor of Health Administration, for their dissertation, Can training reduce emergency department nurse burnout: A qualitative exploratory case study. Chair: Charles Elliott, DHS.

“Reflecting on the incredible educational journey that has shaped me personally and professionally, it has been challenging yet rewarding, as it allowed me to explore the critical issue of nurse burnout and reignited my passion for continued research and the pursuit of knowledge,” shares LaFontaine. “I am grateful for the support of my committee members, mentors, peers, and family through this journey, and I am deeply honored to have my dissertation recognized – it inspires me to continue advocating for positive change in healthcare and to further contribute to meaningful advancements in our field.”

The Dissertation of the Year award program was developed to recognize excellence in dissertation work among University of Phoenix doctoral students. Doctoral students who successfully defended their dissertation within the past year and were nominated by their chairs or committee members were eligible for the award. A total of 33 high-quality candidates were nominated this year. From that pool, three winners were identified after rigorous evaluation through a double-blind peer-reviewed process, with each nomination reviewed by at least two experts in the field.

Other nominees will also be honored at the summit. Learn more about the Knowledge Without Boundaries Summit and register here.

About the College of Doctoral Studies

University of Phoenix’s College of Doctoral Studies focuses on today’s challenging business and organizational needs, from addressing critical social issues to developing solutions to accelerate community building and industry growth. The College’s research program is built around the Scholar, Practitioner, Leader Model which puts students in the center of the Doctoral Education Ecosystem® with experts, resources and tools to help prepare them to be a leader in their organization, industry and community. Through this program, students and researchers work with organizations to conduct research that can be applied in the workplace in real time.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit  phoenix.edu/blog.html.