College of Education faculty join CPED, a prestigious national knowledge forum examining the education doctorate
College of Education faculty members Madeline Hafner and Peggy Kong have secured acceptance to the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED), a national knowledge forum of colleges of education across the country. With their successful application, Professors Hafner and Kong have plugged the University of Utah College of Education into a vibrant and impactful network of 150+ colleges working together to “undertake a critical examination of the doctorate in education (Ed.D.) through dialogue, experimentation, critical feedback, and evaluation.”
The College of Education currently provides an accessible and flexible online Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership Administration with campus immersion elements. To expand its offerings, the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy (ELP) is now working to develop an online K-12 program. Membership in CPED will significantly enhance the quality and reach of both programs.
“CPED membership positions the College of Education among national leaders shaping the future of Ed.D. programs," said Dean Frankie Santos Laanan. "Affiliation with CPED will enrich our Ed.D. programs and encourage meaningful dialogue with peer institutions. Professors Hafner and Kong have connected the College of Education to a national community of scholar-practitioners committed to transforming education through innovation and shared learning, setting the stage for longstanding collaboration with institutions across the country."
“In joining CPED, our goals are twofold,” said Peggy Kong, Associate Professor (Clinical) of ELP who joined the College of Education from Drexel University in 2024. “First, to learn from the Carnegie Project of the Education Doctorate (CPED) network of universities and colleges to grow and develop our own scholar-practitioner programs.
“Second, to serve as liaisons between CPED and the College of Education. We will connect the CoEdu community to CPED resources and a network of over 150 schools and colleges of education. We will guide COE members in understanding the ways in which a rigorous professional practice doctorate in education (Ed.D.) prepares advanced practitioners and leaders in the field of education.
“As a CPED member college, all faculty, staff and students in the CoEdu have access to CPED member-only professional development resources, such as webinars, special interest groups, awards, journals and more. We will work together with the CoEdu community to consider ways in which an Ed.D. can serve practitioners in their local contexts and prepare scholar practitioners to transform their communities.”
To maximize the College of Education’s membership in the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate, Professors Hafner and Kong will be hosting a series of coffee hours across the 2025-2026 academic year. The first CPED coffee hour takes place Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 10 a.m. in the Sorenson Arts & Education Complex (SAEC), room 3151. All members of the CoEdu community are invited!