Northeastern Illinois University to host launch celebration for its first doctoral program

Northeastern Illinois University will host an official launch celebration for its first doctoral program, the Ed.D. in Leadership, Equity and Inquiry (Ed.D. in LEI).

The event will take place Thursday, March 26, at 5 p.m. in Alumni Hall on the Main Campus, 5500 N. St. Louis Ave. in Chicago. The evening will feature an unveiling of the vision, curriculum and mission of the new program. Food and beverages will be provided. Complimentary parking will be available on levels 4 and 5 of the Parking Facility. The event is free and open to the public. RSVP is recommended, but not required.

The new program will be housed in the Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education (GCOE). Thomas Philion, Ph.D., serves as Dean of the GCOE. He is pleased the program has received all of its required approvals and is currently accepting applications to enroll its first cohort of students so they can start their courses in Fall 2026.

“Northeastern Illinois University strongly believes in the values of leadership, equity and inquiry,” Dr. Philion said. “Through this new doctoral program, we will empower teachers, administrators, nonprofit professionals and others to be at the forefront of creating meaningful, positive changes for the communities and organizations they serve.”

A panel discussion around the theme, “Bridging Theory and Practice: What Does it Mean to Be a Scholar-Practitioner?,” will also be a part of the event. The panel is scheduled to include: 

• Nicole Holland, Ph.D.: Northeastern Illinois University Professor of Educational Foundations, M.A. Community and Teacher Leaders (MACTL), and African and African American Studies 
• Gloria McDaniel Hall, Ed.D.: Associate Professor of Educational Leadership in the National College of Education at National Louis University
• Natalie Neris, Ed.D.: CEO and Principal Consultant of Root and Reimagine Consulting Collective

Kamau Rashid, Ph.D., is the Founding Director of the Ed.D. in LEI. He has been working on the creation and implementation of this program since 2021.

“The Ed.D. in Leadership, Equity and Inquiry program provides Northeastern Illinois University with an opportunity to prepare leaders who are critically reflective and committed to transformative change in their communities,” Dr. Rashid said. “Our students will gain deep insights into the complex dynamics of leadership and research, as well as the political, economic and historical dimensions of education. Most importantly, they will hone analytical tools to address the practical challenges they encounter in their professional practice.”

Top photo: People in a Northeastern Illinois University classroom listening to a presentation.