Chapter 17: Reflections of Dissertation in Practice (DiP) Research: The Reacculturation Experiences of First-Generation College Students with Undecided Majors

Reflecting upon the transformative orientation in May 2013 for the University of Missouri’s educational leadership doctoral program, I can vividly recall feelings of excitement, anxiety, and wonder. I soon learned from my advisor, Dr. Cynthia MacGregor, that my cohort would be the first to fully implement a Dissertation in Practice (DiP) model, a model that broke from the traditional dissertation model (MacGregor & Fellabaum, 2016). Honestly, at the time, I did not fully comprehend the impact this model would have on my personal and professional life.

The purpose of this chapter is to explore the impact of the newly implemented University of Missouri Statewide Cooperative Program in Educational Leadership model. The chapter begins with the significance of the Education Doctorate, both from my personal and professional perspective. The bilingual intentionality of the program, which includes bridging the PK–12 and higher education arenas of practice along with the scholarly-practitioner role, is discussed. Then, I provide an overview of my DiP, which includes setting, problem of practice, conceptual framework, research questions, methodology, and findings. The influence of the DiP on my roles as an educational leader and scholar, as well as on the organization, is presented next. The chapter concludes with future implications for my continued work as a scholarly-practitioner.