Required Foundation Courses for the EdD Program at Northeastern

Juana Reina has served as a school administrator and an expert in opportunity programs as a charter member of the Tri-State Consortium of Opportunity Programs. Currently, Juana Reina is pursuing an EdD in higher education administration at Northeastern University.

Headquartered in Boston, Northeastern University is a private research institution of higher education that was founded in 1898. The university, which currently has a student population of more than 25,000, offers a range of undergraduate and graduate programs, including the doctor of education.

Northeastern University’s doctor of education (EdD) program provides experienced professionals with the knowledge to lead and empower their communities. Accredited by the NEASC, the program takes three to four years and requires the completion of several foundation courses. These include an introductory course in doctoral studies as well as a course titled “Changing Conceptions of Learning and Human Development: Research and Practice.” In addition, students must complete “Transforming Human Systems” and “Leadership Theory and Research.”

Four Benefits of Participating in Co-Curricular Programs

Juana Reina, an evaluator for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, has held leadership positions in the student affairs departments of numerous higher education institutions. A graduate student in education at Northeastern University, Juana Reina is doing her dissertation on how students mold their professional identities through co-curricular activities. Co-curricular programs contain activities, such as art, music, or sports, that complement the academic curriculum. Participating in these activities presents several benefits:

1. Develops time management skills. Participation in co-curricular activities requires students to learn to manage their time and prioritize competing commitments. 

2. Builds self-esteem. Students who do not excel academically may find that the more relaxed setting of co-curricular programs removes the pressure to succeed and helps them succeed in other ways. 

3. Fosters long-term commitment. Co-curricular programs require students to make a long-term commitment to attend meetings and participate in program activities. This can also enhance a student’s ability to make commitments in other areas of life, such as school tasks. 

4. Improves academic performance. Co-curricular programs complement the learning experience and help students build the skills necessary to succeed in school and beyond, such as time management, commitment, and leadership. They can also increase a student’s interest in school and inspire better academic performance.

Tri-State Consortium Draws Attention to First-Generation Students

As an experienced higher education administration professional, Juana Reina has dedicated her career to improving the quality of student experiences at multiple colleges in the northeastern United States. With a former role as the vice president and dean of Westchester Community College, Juana Reina today harnesses her talents behind the Tri-State Consortium of Opportunity Programs in Higher Education of which she is a long-standing member.

Recently, the Tri-State Consortium featured an article on its Facebook page concerning new research about first-generation college students. A report from the Institute of Education Sciences indicates that within a decade of their sophomore year of high school, only one-fifth of students whose parents did not graduate from college will have earned their own four-year degree. This data shows a significant disparity between first-generation and continuing-generation students, as more than 40 percent of students with at least one college-educated parent are likely to earn a four-year degree within the same 10-year period.

Further data showed that first-generation students may more likely come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. In addition, they are almost 10 percent more likely to choose to withdraw from higher education due to financial hardship than their continuing-generation peers.

Co-Curricular Programs Foster Holistic Learning in Schools

An experienced higher education administrator, Juana Reina has worked with post-secondary students for close to three decades. Currently pursuing an EdD from Northeastern University, Juana Reina is completing a dissertation on how students craft their professional identities through co-curricular programs. 

The term co-curricular refers to the activities and programs complementing the formal academic curriculum, and represent an extension of the students’ classroom learning experiences. Co-curricular activities include musical performances, art shows, science fairs, debate competitions, mock trials, and engineering competitions. They provide an opportunity for students to apply what they have learned. 

Co-curricular programs in schools are promoted alongside academics to further the development of students intellectually, physically, psychologically, socially, and even morally. The traditional model of academic-focused education is paving the way for more holistic learning geared toward developing students’ academic abilities together with their personal and interpersonal skill sets. Augmenting coursework with experiential learning programs help students grow their overall personalities, become self-confident, develop specialized skills, become responsible, and achieve improved academic performance.