Empire State University Graduates its First Ed.D. Cohort
(SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – May 8, 2025) Empire State University launched its inaugural Doctor of Education degree program in the fall of 2021. Now, four academic years later, it graduates its first cohort of Ed.D. students on Friday, May 9.
Developed with a focus on “opportunities and practice,” says assistant professor and program coordinator Lisa Unangst, Ph.D., the program caters to “working professionals [that] have deep expertise in the field but maybe wouldn’t have pursued a terminal degree in another situation,” she explains, noting that students in this first graduating class currently hold positions ranging from academic advisor to residence life director to university librarian. It also takes into consideration the challenges of earning a doctorate degree, employing a cohort model—complete with an in-person residency in Saratoga Springs each year—as a way of ensuring students have the peer support they need.
“A doctorate degree is challenging, and it can be a little isolating—especially once you get past your classes into your ‘sitting by myself with my laptop, writing my dissertation’ work,” Unangst says. “The decision was made to set up a cohort model so that we would just be accepting folks in the fall because the literature says that students are such an incredible support for one another.”
Since its inception, the program—which candidates have as many as eight years to complete—has also expanded to meet students’ needs in other ways. It now includes electives, as well as three different dissertation options. There’s also a student club—the Higher Education Leadership Association—and a writing group. Other additions may be on the horizon, too.
“We’re continuing to think about the future, so we’re applying for grants to see if we can get tuition remission and research assistantship money for folks in the Ed.D. program,” Unangst says. “We’ll continue to grow and evolve based on the feedback we hear from students.”
This week, though, the focus is on celebrating the program’s first graduating cohort, which Unangst describes as “a cohesive, dynamic team that’s incredibly supportive” of one another, she says.
“I think it’s obvious from how they attended each other’s [dissertation] defenses, the celebrations they’re planning for commencement, and how they want to be involved as alumni that they really have a strong bond as a group and with SUNY Empire,” Unangst says.
Read on to learn more about the program’s 11 spring 2025 graduates, who—in their own words—share what they found most rewarding about their experience.
Meet the Cohort:
Sarah Blood
Hometown: Richmondville, N.Y.
“One of the most rewarding parts of my experience with the Ed.D. program has been the opportunity to deeply engage with research that directly informs and improves my professional practice. Conducting a case study on teacher autonomy and social justice within the Empire State University Master of Arts in teaching program allowed me to amplify the voices of teacher educators and critically examine how policies, coursework, and institutional structures shape pre-service teacher preparation. This process not only sharpened my qualitative research skills but also empowered me to become a more reflective and equity-driven leader. Additionally, building lasting relationships with faculty mentors and peers who are equally passionate about transforming education has created a powerful professional learning community that will continue to guide my work long after graduation.”
Lexie Bonitatibus
Hometown: Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
“The most rewarding part of the Ed.D. program was the Wednesday night meetings for four years with my classmates and our professors where we built an online Cohort 1 Ed.D. community, shared resources and ideas for our coursework and dissertation topics, and became a SUNY Empire doctoral family.”
Stephen Cook
Hometown: Macedon, N.Y.
“[The most rewarding part of the program was] the relationship building with my cohort and bonding with a set of colleagues that I will forever be able to go for advice as well as share our adventures moving forward.”
Jason Fishner
Hometown: Delhi, N.Y.
“During my admissions interview, I discussed wanting to form a student organization for the new Ed.D. program to get students together in person. After doing the legwork during our first semester, the Higher Education Leadership Association was recognized during the program’s second semester. We have hosted socials throughout the state, and have worked to get together a speaker series. Getting to be part of a new program and see where it has come over the last four years has been exciting to watch. My wife is in the second cohort of the Ed.D. program so we have been able to see some of the changes that were made from year one to year two.”
Zeco Krcic
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
“Empire State University’s doctoral program provided the rigorous scholar-practitioner training I was hoping for. The program’s cohort model is a very effective concept, as our class was able to support and learn from one another throughout the journey. The program’s faculty were present, caring, and dedicated to our success from day one.”
Kathleen Lieblich
Hometown: New York’s Hudson Valley region
“As a higher education leader, the most rewarding part of this program has been seeing how it impacted my professional growth. This program, especially the dissertation process, has transformed the way I think, engage, and lead. I gained a significantly deeper understanding of how institutions function and strengthened my leadership skills so that I can drive lasting change in the field and, most importantly, advance student success.”
Lavie Margolin
Hometown: Bronx, N.Y.
“[The most rewarding part of the program was] engaging in a community of scholars. Everyone affiliated with the program (from colleagues in Cohort 1 to staff and administration) have all been so helpful. It feels like we have all had our eyes on the same thing since day one: being the founding cohort of a doctoral program at Empire State University.”
Tanya Maurer
Hometown: Huntington Station, N.Y.
“The most rewarding experience throughout my Ed.D. program has been working with my cohort members. I am so fortunate to have had this opportunity and to have been paired with some of the most wonderful people that higher education has ever had. This inaugural cohort has helped to shape me as a professional and as a person. My classmates are what made this experience so defining and impactful.”
Brian Murphy
Hometown: Buffalo, N.Y.
“I graduate with gratitude for the excellent faculty teaching, presentations, and assistance, and for the counsel of my fellow doctoral candidates, which was critical to our collective success (specifically the use of WhatsApp to communicate any time we wanted). Congratulations to my cohort members for their camaraderie and academic and emotional support that kept us on track as SUNY Empire’s inaugural class of 2025 Ed. D graduates. Weekly Teams sessions with our professors were key to working together, discussing the work, and succeeding. I want to thank the Empire State faculty—Dr. Meg Benke and Dr. Lisa Unangst, who formed my dissertation committee, and Dr. Ali Ait Si Mhamed—for their invaluable support, the knowledge I gained from their courses, and their insights into my research for this dissertation in the Educational Doctorate in Leadership and Change.”
Note: Edwin Aponte and Navieta Ramasami, not pictured, are also members of this first graduating cohort. All photos above are courtesy of the students.