Interview with Sohyun Meacham, Ph.D., About the University of Northern Iowa’s Online Ed.D. Program
About Sohyun Meacham, Ph.D.: Sohyun Meacham currently serves as Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research in the College of Education at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), where she also holds a faculty appointment as Professor of Literacy Education and coordinates the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program. Her work sits at the intersection of leadership, program development, and faculty research and scholarship. As Associate Dean, she oversees graduate programs, supports faculty research, and leads college-wide processes related to continuous improvement and academic quality. These responsibilities have deeply shaped Dr. Meacham’s approach to coordinating the Ed.D. program, as she is constantly thinking about how to build systems that support both student success and faculty sustainability.
Dr. Meacham’s earlier time at the UNI as an assistant professor coincided with a pivotal moment in the institution’s history, when UNI first joined the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) consortium in 2014. Since that time, she has been deeply engaged with the Ed.D. program in multiple capacities, first as faculty and as the coordinator for the Curriculum and Instruction track, and now in her current role overseeing the entire Ed.D. program across six specialization areas. This longitudinal involvement has afforded Dr. Meacham a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the program, allowing her to see how each component coheres with and advances the CPED framework. Equally important, it has positioned her to actively contribute to a sustained culture of continuous improvement, where iterative reflection, dialogue, and refinement are embedded in the design and enactment of the program.
Dr. Meacham’s goals as Ed.D. Coordinator center on strengthening coherence across the program, ensuring that students experience a clear and supported pathway from coursework to dissertation, and continuing to cultivate a strong scholarly community among practitioner-leaders. She is particularly committed to maintaining a balance between academic rigor and practical relevance, so that UNI graduates are well-positioned to lead meaningful change in their professional contexts.
Interview Questions
[OnlineEdDPrograms.com] May we begin with an overview of the University of Northern Iowa’s (UNI) Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program?
[Sohyun Meacham, Ph.D.] The Ed.D. program at the UNI is designed for working professionals who seek to lead change in educational and organizational settings. A central theme that informs our curriculum is the idea of inquiry as practice. We position research not as an abstract academic exercise, but as a tool for addressing complex, real-word problems of practice.
The program offers six specializations, including pathways focused on Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Leadership (Principalship, Superintendency, and Special Education Director), Postsecondary Education – Student Affairs, and Interdisciplinary Studies. While all students share a common core grounded in research and leadership, each specialization allows for contextualized learning aligned with students’ professional goals. Some students focus more on systems-level leadership, while others emphasize instructional innovation or community-based work.
In addition, the Interdisciplinary Studies track provides a generative space for professionals beyond traditional education fields to cultivate and extend their interdisciplinary expertise. Since the inception of this track, we have intentionally broadened access to welcome students from diverse professional backgrounds. For example, individuals with MBA training who are interested in entrepreneurial ventures within the education sector have joined the program to pursue the Ed.D. degree. This pathway enriches the program by fostering cross-sector dialogue and inviting innovative perspectives at the intersection of education, leadership, and enterprise.
Our structure is intentionally designed as a three-year program that provides both guidance and flexibility. While there is a clear sequence of coursework, students move through the program in ways that align with their professional responsibilities. This structure allows working professionals to maintain momentum without feeling constrained by rigid pacing.
The program is particularly well suited for educators, administrators, and professionals who are already in leadership roles or are aspiring to expand their influence. These are individuals who are motivated not only to advance their own careers but also to make a meaningful difference in their organizations and communities.
[OnlineEdDPrograms.com] The University of Northern Iowa’s (UNI) Ed.D. program is a member of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED). Would you discuss how working with the CPED consortium has informed the design of the program’s curriculum? How are CPED’s framework and principles beneficial to students in the Ed.D. program?
[Sohyun Meacham, Ph.D.] Our Ed.D. program was first approved in 1982 and implemented in 1983. The first UNI Ed.D. degree was granted in August 1986. Then our participation in the CPED was from 2014. Our participation in the CPED has been foundational in shaping the renovated design of our Ed.D. program. CPED emphasizes the preparation of scholarly practitioners, and this orientation aligns closely with our institutional mission as a regional comprehensive university.
CPED’s guiding principles compel us to foreground problems of practice, advance equity, and situate research within authentic, real-world contexts. Accordingly, our curriculum has been deliberately re-envisioned to enable students to discern and interrogate consequential problems within their own professional settings and to engage in systematic, inquiry-driven approaches to address them. This orientation renders the learning experience both immediately salient and intellectually immersive for our students. We have further institutionalized CPED-inspired elements, including coursework that is anchored in equity and justice-oriented frameworks and the Dissertation in Practice (DiP), which is explicitly designed to investigate problems of practice.
For students, the benefit is that they do not have to choose between theory and practice. Instead, they learn to integrate both in ways that enhance their professional effectiveness and leadership capacity.
[OnlineEdDPrograms.com] The University of Northern Iowa’s Ed.D. program is offered primarily online, with two required 3-day summer residencies. Would you please discuss the online learning experience for students in the Ed.D. program and what the summer residencies entail?
[Sohyun Meacham, Ph.D.] The Ed.D. program is delivered predominantly in an online modality, enabling us to serve professionals across an expansive geographic landscape while sustaining a high level of intellectual engagement. This model has allowed us to reach students not only throughout the state of Iowa but also internationally, with participants joining from the United Arab Emirates, India, Korea, and some European countries.
Our courses are intentionally designed to integrate both synchronous and asynchronous modalities. Synchronous sessions, typically conducted via Zoom, facilitate dynamic, real-time dialogue and collaborative inquiry, while asynchronous components afford students the flexibility to engage with course materials and complete assignments according to their professional schedules. Even within asynchronous courses, optional Zoom sessions are frequently offered, providing additional avenues for interaction, clarification, and sustained engagement.
Learning technologies are used intentionally to support collaboration, including shared document platforms and discussion spaces that allow students to engage in sustained dialogue. However, what truly defines the experience is not the technology itself, but the relationships that are built through these interactions.
The two required summer residencies serve as anchor points for the program. These three-day, face-to-face experiences are intentionally designed to deepen relationships among cohort members and faculty, provide intensive academic engagement, and support key transitions in the program, particularly as students move into the dissertation phase. Students who travel to campus are able to stay in university residence halls, which adds to the immersive nature of the experience.
In fact, many of our former students have fondly described the residency as feeling like “adult summer camp,” highlighting not only the shared living experience but also the sense of camaraderie, collegiality, and intellectual energy that emerges during these days. The residencies foster meaningful community building and robust professional networking, creating bonds that often extend well beyond the duration of the program.
The cohort model is another essential feature. Students move through the program with a consistent group of peers, which fosters trust, accountability, and a strong sense of community. Over time, this cohort becomes a vital source of both intellectual stimulation and emotional sustenance. Many of our graduates reflect on this experience with deep appreciation. As one student shared, “My completion of the dissertation was truly thanks to my cohort friends. They motivated me when I was on the verge of giving it up.” Such reflections underscore how the cohort evolves into more than a learning group; it becomes a resilient support network that sustains persistence through the most demanding phases of the doctoral journey.
[OnlineEdDPrograms.com] Students complete a Dissertation in Practice as their culminating experience. Would you elaborate on what is required by students in the dissertation research process?
[Sohyun Meacham, Ph.D.] To support this process, we have developed a clearly articulated milestones framework that structures the dissertation journey across the program’s three-year progression. These seven milestones include the identification of a dissertation topic, the development of the introduction, the formal confirmation of the dissertation committee, the completion of the literature review, the articulation of the methodology, the successful proposal defense, and finally, the dissertation defense. Each milestone is intentionally aligned with coursework, creating a coherent and scaffolded pathway that reduces ambiguity and sustains student momentum from initial inquiry to final defense.
Throughout the program, students are introduced to a wide array of research methodologies, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches. Our emphasis extends beyond technical proficiency to cultivating methodological discernment, enabling students to select and apply approaches that are most appropriate for their research questions and contexts.
Preparation for the dissertation is seamlessly embedded across the curriculum. Students engage in progressively sequenced assignments that build toward their proposal, including literature synthesis, research design, and data analysis. This integrative design mitigates the fragmentation that can sometimes occur between coursework and dissertation, fostering instead a sense of continuity and intellectual coherence.
The impact of this approach is evident in the caliber of our graduates’ work. For instance, Dr. Lamont Muhammad’s dissertation was subsequently published by Routledge as Lyricism as Educational Transformation: The Writing Identity of a Hip Hop Lyricist and Educator. His work illuminates the pedagogical and transformative potential of lyric writing. Through an analysis of his lived experiences as a Black male educator, Hip Hop lyricist, and curriculum writer, he demonstrates how Hip Hop can function as a powerful site of identity formation and educational engagement, ultimately translating these insights into innovative pedagogical practices such as Hip Hop Literacy.
Similarly, Dr. John Jimo, now a faculty member at Emmaus University, conducted a compelling dissertation examining the relational dynamics between teacher candidates and cooperating teachers. His work offers nuanced insights into mentorship, supervision, and professional information within teacher education. Both Dr. Muhammad and Dr. Jimo were recognized with the David Bills Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award from the Iowa Academy of Education, underscoring the scholarly excellence and practical significance of their contributions. These exemplars reflect the broader ethos of our program, where dissertation work is not only academically robust but also transformative in its capacity to influence practice and advance the field.
[OnlineEdDPrograms.com] Will you discuss the faculty mentorship opportunities available to students in the University of Northern Iowa’s online Ed.D. program?
[Sohyun Meacham, Ph.D.] Mentorship is a central component of the Ed.D. experience at the University of Northern Iowa. Students are supported by program faculty throughout their coursework. As they transition into the dissertation phase, they work closely with a dissertation chair and committee. This transition is handled with intentionality to ensure continuity while also aligning students with faculty whose expertise most closely resonates with their research interests. Faculty members are highly accessible and deeply invested in student success, which is particularly vital in an online environment.
At the same time, we have developed robust administrative structures to intentionally cultivate spaces where faculty and students can convene, exchange ideas, and explore shared research interests. The summer residency, for instance, is not only an academic touchpoint but also a strategic opportunity to facilitate in-person dialogue, scholarly networking, and the formation of mentoring relationships. Beyond this, we actively promote interdisciplinary collaboration across the university.
Our Ed.D. program is supported by a broad faculty network of more than 80 scholars representing all four colleges and the library of UNI, extending well beyond the College of Education. These faculty members contribute in multiple capacities, including teaching courses, chairing and serving on dissertation committees, and advising students from the early stages of their doctoral journey. This expansive and interdisciplinary mentoring ecosystem significantly enriches the intellectual experience of our students.
In addition to faculty mentorship, students benefit from peer mentorship within their cohort. These relationships often become one of the most invaluable aspects of the program, offering both scholarly engagement and sustained encouragement.
For students, my advice is to be proactive in cultivating these relationships. The more they engage in dialogue, seek feedback, and share their evolving ideas, the more transformative and rewarding their doctoral experience will become.
[OnlineEdDPrograms.com] Do you have advice for prospective students who are interested in applying to the Ed.D. program that would help them optimize their applications?
[Sohyun Meacham, Ph.D.] For prospective students, one of the most important factors is clarity of purpose. Strong applicants are able to articulate not only their professional goals but also the kinds of problems they are interested in addressing through their doctoral work. We look for individuals who are reflective, collaborative, and committed to growth. Effective application materials often demonstrate a clear connection between the applicant’s experiences, their goals, and the purpose of pursuing an Ed.D.
Letters of recommendation that speak to an applicant’s leadership potential and ability to engage in scholarly work are particularly helpful. Writing samples should demonstrate not only technical proficiency but also the ability to think critically and communicate ideas clearly.
[OnlineEdDPrograms.com] What makes the University of Northern Iowa’s Ed.D. program a unique and exciting choice for prospective students?
[Sohyun Meacham, Ph.D.] What makes the UNI Ed.D. program distinctive is its thoughtful integration of rigor, support, and community. We are deeply committed to preparing leaders who can make meaningful contributions in their fields, and we do so in a way that is both intellectually demanding and intentionally supportive. This balance has not only shaped the quality of our graduates but has also contributed to the program’s remarkable growth in recent years. For example, enrollment has grown from 22 students in 2018 to 111 students in 2026, representing a more than fivefold increase. This trajectory reflects both the rising demand for practitioner-focused doctoral education and the strong reputation our program has cultivated among working professionals.
At the same time, our program fosters a strong sense of collegiality among students, faculty, and alumni. Even as the program has expanded, we have remained intentional in preserving the relational core of the Ed.D. experience. Graduates often remain closely connected to the program and to one another, creating an enduring network of professional support and collaboration.
Looking ahead, I see the program continuing to evolve in ways that further strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration, expand access to diverse learners, and deepen our focus on equity and impact. As we grow, we remain steadfast in our commitment to cultivating thoughtful, capable leaders who are well equipped to navigate and transform the complexities of today’s educational landscape.
Thank you, Dr. Meacham, for taking the time to discuss the University of Northern Iowa’s innovative and student-focused Ed.D. program with us.