Congratulations to Charvella McKaye: A Newly Minted Ed.D.

April 26, 2023

Walt Disney once said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” And Charvella McKaye has shown how true this is. She’s come a long way from her days as a single mom struggling to earn her college degree. Now she’s a professor of early childhood development and education and a member of the CDA Advisory Committee at the Council, where she helps guide members of our profession. And now we can all call her Dr. McKaye because she just received her Ed.D.

Earning this high honor required her to write a dissertation: Supporting African American and Black Single-Parent Students in Higher Education: Exploring Factors that Contribute to Success. It draws on scholarly research and her own experience guiding students at Columbus State Community College in Ohio. The students face barriers to degree completion, she explains, but they can break through these road blocks with the right support.

It also helps to have a passion for learning, as Charvella does. “I have always wanted to pursue my doctoral degree,” she says. “I put it off for years, but the thought of doing it haunted me now and then. So, one evening, I decided to look into doctoral programs and did not turn back. The rest is history, and reaching my goal taught me a lesson I take to heart. If you have a dream that you can’t forget, go for it no matter how long it takes. If you believe in it, you can achieve it.”

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