Shenandoah Doctoral Student Receives Prestigious Award
Annmarie Noonan ’24 honored for her educational leadership program dissertation
A student in Shenandoah University’s Ph.D. in educational leadership program has received the prestigious Brenda Loyd Outstanding Dissertation Award from the Virginia Educational Research Association (VERA).
“I felt deep pride and fulfillment in being honored with this award,” said Annmarie Noonan ’24, who received the honor for her dissertation, “Teacher and Principal Perceptions of Collective Efficacy and Its Enabling Conditions.” Along with being in Shenandoah’s doctoral program, Noonan is principal of North Fork Middle School in Shenandoah County, Virginia. She anticipates graduating with her Ph.D. in December.
“To me, it represents the culmination of years of hard work, research, and perseverance,” Noonan said. “I felt a sense of validation, knowing that the research conducted had an impact and resonated with others in the educational field. I also felt gratitude toward my mentors, colleagues, and supporters who helped along the way.”
Noonan’s dissertation topic is of such great importance to her, it was a given that it would be her area of focus during her Shenandoah studies.
“I had essentially settled on my topic before I even applied to the program. As a middle school principal, I was extremely passionate about cultivating collective teacher efficacy in my own school. Thus, this work and research were highly relevant to me, and I was excited to explore the topic to uncover approaches and practices that would benefit not only my school but others as well,” she said. “From the first paper I wrote during coursework to every subsequent paper where we could choose our own topic, I consistently focused on collective teacher efficacy. My interest in the subject never waned. Essentially, I chose this topic from the beginning and carried it through to my dissertation.”
Noonan’s work consistently impressed Ph.D. in Educational Leadership Program Coordinator and Associate Professor of Quantitative Methods Sarah R. Daniel, Ph.D. “Annmarie’s research focuses on the enabling conditions of collective teacher efficacy, identifying critical factors such as high expectations, touchpoints, and communal investment (love and trust). Her work provides other educators and leaders a roadmap to foster a collaborative, high-performing teaching environment,” Dr. Daniel said. “Her dissertation … exemplifies her dedication to bridging theory and practice. She is a researcher who seeks to not only advance academic knowledge but also offer actionable strategies that can be implemented in schools to drive improvement.”
Noonan said she chose to study at Shenandoah because she knew that she would be truly seen, challenged, and supported at the university. “Without a doubt, the greatest source of support came from my dissertation chair, Dr. Sarah Daniel,” Noonan said. “Dr. Daniel provided me with clear, specific, balanced, and actionable feedback throughout the entire process. Additionally, she always delivered feedback in a manner that was encouraging and supportive, which motivated me to excel and promoted my learning and growth. Another source of support came from my other committee members. Both Dr. Catherine Shiffman and Dr. Deran Whitney asked critical questions, offered feedback, and provided expertise in specific areas — especially leadership — that enhanced the quality and rigor of my research. A great deal of support also came from my cohort members. Whether it was group texts, get-togethers, or writing sessions on Zoom, my cohort provided emotional and academic support throughout the dissertation process.” Noonan added that prior to conducting her own research, she was able to hone her skills through a summer scholars program with Daniel. She also received both financial and collegial support from the Winchester Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) upon being awarded the Amy Parker Endowed Scholarship.
Noonan’s dissertation research has had a significant impact on how she functions as a leader in education. “By understanding the dynamics that contribute to effective learning environments, I’ve worked alongside my staff to enact strategies that foster collaboration, trust, love, and shared ownership,” Noonan said. “Throughout the entirety of my coursework and the dissertation, as I investigated the topic of collective teacher efficacy, I was actively working with my own staff to grow our shared belief in our ability to produce positive outcomes for all of our students. Last year, the year I was conducting my research, I immediately took the insights I was gaining and strategically applied certain approaches and practices within my own school. … Our school has seen consistent gains in student achievement year after year since 2019. Last year, our comparative performance on Virginia’s standardized tests improved even more. Additionally, our school also had the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in our county last year. I find it hard to believe that these achievements are unrelated to our communal efforts to grow our collective efficacy, alongside my own research in this area.”
Daniel has only accolades for Noonan. “She exemplifies the kind of educator, leader, scholar, and researcher that the [Ph.D.] program aims to cultivate, making her an outstanding representative of Shenandoah University’s commitment to advancing educational leadership.”
To learn more about Shenandoah University’s doctoral programs in educational leadership, visit su.edu/education.
