SFU Ed.D in Organizational Leadership and Innovation

09/11/2026

Welcome, Fall 2026 Executive Ed.D. Cohort!

This week we're thrilled to welcome our 5th cohort of scholar-practitioners to Saint Francis University's beautiful campus in Loretto, PA for Residency I! 📚

These leaders — from education, healthcare, business, and beyond — are just beginning their doctoral journey in our Executive Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership and Innovation program, joining a growing community of scholar-practitioners now six cohorts strong. Residency I is where the cohort first comes together in person: building community, meeting faculty, and taking the first steps of a journey grounded in our Franciscan values of Virtue, Truth, and Compassion.

We can't wait to see the connections, ideas, and leadership that will grow from this week together on our historic Loretto campus.

Welcome to the Saint Francis University family — we're honored to walk this journey with you!

Learn more about the Executive Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership and Innovation: www.francis.edu/edd

09/09/2026

Faculty Spotlight: Meet Dr. Patrick Crawford!

Many of our students first meet Dr. Patrick Crawford through DOL 711: Intro to Executive Leadership and Innovation, where he sets the tone for the program's approach to leadership from day one. He continues that work in the final course, DOL 810, and beyond the classroom, serves our scholar-practitioners as an executive leadership coach — guiding candidates as they apply what they're learning directly to their own organizations.

Dr. Crawford brings a practitioner's eye and a coach's instinct to that work. Before earning his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Duquesne University, he spent years leading from the inside — as a teacher, a principal, and ultimately a superintendent. That same instinct for what actually works in complex organizations shapes the way he mentors doctoral candidates as they translate leadership theory into real practice.

Beyond Saint Francis, Dr. Crawford has served as Director of the Pennsylvania Leadership Development Center and Director of Professional Development for the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators — statewide roles that keep him closely connected to the leadership challenges facing today's organizations, and to our classroom.

We're grateful for Dr. Crawford's expertise and for the real-world grounding he brings to helping our scholar-practitioners lead with confidence.

Learn more about Dr. Crawford and our exceptional Executive Ed.D. faculty: www.francis.edu/edd

08/17/2026

At Summer Residency VI, the Veritas Cohort revealed their service and legacy project — and we couldn't be more proud.

We are excited to announce the Tricia McFadden Veritas Award for Leadership Excellence. This award will help fund future doctoral cohorts’ service and/or legacy projects as well as honor a deserving leader from future cohorts pursuing their Executive Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership and Innovation degree at SFU. The award will be given annually, beginning with the Invictus cohort (Graduating in 2028) and will be self-sustaining.

If you are able, please consider making a one-time or monthly contribution both to honor Dr. McFadden’s contributions to our scholar-practitioner community and to help ensure the continued charitable work of future cohorts. Donate by visiting SFU’s

Donation Link: https://securelb.imodules.com/s/1679/lg24/form.aspx?sid=1679&gid=2&pgid=387&cid=1000

Where it asks you to describe the designation, write “Veritas Award” so that your gift funds this project.

Thank you for your time and consideration and a special note of appreciation to the Veritas Cohort for this meaningful tribute.

08/12/2026

Faculty Spotlight: Meet Dr. Brennan Thomas!

Many of our students first meet Dr. Brennan Thomas through DISS902: Dissertation Seminar II — Literature Review, Methodology and IRB, where she guides Scholar-Practitioners through one of the most demanding stages of the doctoral journey. Beyond the classroom, Dr. Thomas also serves as chair and committee member on dissertation committees across the program, continuing to guide candidates well past DISS902 and through to their defense.

Dr. Thomas brings a rhetorician's eye and a storyteller's instinct to that work. She earned her Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Composition from Bowling Green State University, and her research spans writing center administration and popular media studies — including published scholarship on films like A Christmas Story and Bambi, and the television series South Park. That same curiosity about how narratives are built and why they resonate shapes the way she mentors doctoral candidates as they shape their own research stories.

Beyond the Executive Ed.D. Program, Dr. Thomas serves as Chair of the English and World Languages Department, Professor of English, and directs SFU's Writing Center, where she trains and supervises the University's writing tutors and edits the center's quarterly newsletter, The Write Times. She also teaches first-year writing, writing pedagogy, and a popular first-year seminar on the animated films of Disney and Pixar.

We're grateful for Dr. Thomas's expertise and for the care she brings to helping our scholar-practitioners find their own voice in their research.

Learn more about Dr. Thomas and our exceptional Executive Ed.D. faculty: www.francis.edu/edd

08/10/2026

Calling our Executive Ed.D. Alumni Cohorts, Francis and Aggiornamento --- You are Invited . . .

Join us for the 5th Annual Saint Francis University Night at PNC Park!

Friday, September 18th

Kansas City Royals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

Gates Open: 5:00 p.m.
First Pitch: 6:40 p.m.

Tickets start at $59, which includes taxes and fees.

Seats will be in Sections 235 & 236, 237 and 238, which are the closest seats to the Left Field Lounge.

Each ticket includes:

One: Exclusive access to the entire Jim Beam Left Field Lounge from the time the gates open to the last out.

Two: A $10 voucher, good for food, drink, and even Pirates merchandise throughout PNC Park.

Three: One drink ticket, which may be applied to the pregame happy hour. These drink tickets expire at first pitch.

Four: A co-branded Pittsburgh Pirates and Saint Francis University long sleeve.

Available sizes on a first come, first served basis.

This event is family friendly.
Children and other family members are encouraged to join!

To purchase your tickets today though the Pittsburgh Pirates, click on the link below:
https://www.gofevo.com/event/Saintfrancis0918

Questions?
Contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at:
Phone: 814-472-3015
Email: [email protected]

08/09/2026

Congratulations to our Veritas Cohort!

Our Executive Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership and Innovation Veritas Cohort successfully defended their dissertation proposals during August Residency in Loretto, PA — a defining milestone on their doctoral journey.

Fittingly, this cohort carries the name Veritas — Latin for truth — echoing the very heart of our Franciscan mission: Virtue. Truth. Compassion. Their proposals are more than an academic checkpoint; they represent scholarly courage and a genuine commitment to seeking truth in service of their fields, their organizations, and their communities.

True to the Franciscan spirit of a humble and generous attitude toward learning, this cohort didn't get here alone. They grew as scholar-practitioners and as leaders together -- living out the community and camaraderie that define the Saint Francis University experience.

We are proud to walk this transformational journey with each of you. Onward to data collection, findings, and the dissertations still to come — you are becoming that someone God is calling you to be. 🙏🎓

Congratulations, Veritas Cohort!

07/22/2026

Faculty Spotlight: Meet Dr. Aspen Mock!

You may have recently seen Dr. Aspen Mock featured in Johnstown Magazine, where her article, “Two Centuries, Two Americas,” explores the rich history of the Jean Bonnet Tavern and showcases her passion for storytelling, history, and research.

That same passion carries into the classroom at Saint Francis University.

As a faculty member in the Executive Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership and Innovation program, Dr. Mock is one of our Dissertation Seminar faculty, bringing extensive expertise in the dissertation writing and research process. She serves as a dissertation chair and committee member for numerous doctoral candidates, providing guidance, mentorship, and scholarly support as students develop research that makes a meaningful impact in their organizations and communities.

We are proud to have Dr. Mock as a member of our Executive Ed.D. family and grateful for her commitment to developing the next generation of scholar-practitioners.

Learn more about Dr. Mock and our exceptional Executive Ed.D. faculty: www.francis.edu/edd

Writer Spotlight:

Meet Dr. Aspen Mock!

Aspen is an award-winning writer, playwright, educator, artist, consultant, professor and now, an assistant principal!

A member of the Dramatists Guild of America, Aspen has written four plays and performed in more than 35 theatrical productions. She’s been published by National Geographic Education, PBS, KQED, WPCTE and the National Council of Teachers of English.

We could go on, but you can just “read for yourself” in this month’s Johnstown Magazine. Her article, “Two Centuries, Two Americas,” features the long history of Jean Bonnet Tavern.

Pick up your copy today, or subscribe and save: https://www.tribdem.com/.../johnstown_magazine_subcription/

06/11/2026

Description: Hear how graduates of the program are applying their research and leadership in real-world settings. Alumni will share their journeys, lessons learned, and how the Ed.D. has advanced their careers and communities.

06/03/2026

🐺 A new era begins.

Today, Saint Francis University officially unveiled the Red Wolves—our new athletics identity as we prepare for the transition to NCAA Division III competition in Fall 2026.

Rooted in the Franciscan story of the Wolf of Gubbio, the Red Wolves embody courage, compassion, community, and strength through unity. While we look ahead to the future, the spirit of the Red Flash lives on, woven into the new logo as a tribute to the generations who built our proud athletics tradition.

The Flash ignited the legacy. The Pack carries it forward.

Welcome to the next chapter of Saint Francis Athletics.

Read the full release here: https://www.francis.edu/blog/saint-francis-university-unveils-red-wolves-identity-new-division-iii-era

05/18/2026

Our next webinar is coming up this Thursday!

Ask the Director: Q&A with the Program Head
Thursday, May 21st | 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (virtual)

Have questions about the Executive Ed.D. program? This is your opportunity to connect directly with the Program Director and learn more about the student experience, dissertation journey, residencies, and what makes the program unique.

Whether you are exploring doctoral education or preparing to apply, we invite you to join the conversation and get your questions answered live.

Registration is still open!