After six years of dedicated leadership, W. Kyle Ingle and Harriette Thurber Rasmussen are stepping down as co-chairs of the CPED Program of the Year Committee. Since 2019, Kyle and Harriette have guided the committee with insight, vision, and an unwavering commitment to recognizing excellence in EdD programs.

Their leadership has left a lasting mark on CPED, including the publication of their influential book, Innovation and Impact: The Origins and Elements of EdD Program Excellence, which celebrates and analyzes the hallmarks of outstanding EdD programs. In this edited book, W. Kyle Ingle and Harriette Thurber Rasmussen focus on CPED’s Program of the Year (POY) Award, examining its history, purpose, submission requirements, committee structure, activities, and outcomes. The book includes dual components: (1) innovative programs that drive social justice and (2) how these institutional innovations were developed and sustained. Their work has not only shaped the Program of the Year process but has also provided a roadmap for institutions striving to align with CPED principles.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Kyle and Harriette for their scholarship, leadership, and mentorship. Their contributions have strengthened the CPED community and elevated the conversation around EdD program innovation and impact.

Both Ingle and Rasmussen recently reflected on their experience as co-chairs.

What are you most proud of as you end your tenure as co-leaders of the PoY committee? 

Ingle: I am most proud of having served as a co-chair of a committee with such wonderful people. Harriette has been an absolute joy to work with over the years. All of my fellow committee members have always been willing to put in the work of reviewing all of the nomination materials. They have done so diligently and pleasantly. I can honestly say that not one of our meetings or fellow committee members was ever contentious or unpleasant. We worked well together, and we were always able to come to a consensus. 

Rasmussen:  We absolutely have an amazing group of people who have scrutinized the applications in ways that fully explain the power of diversity of thought and perspective.  The POY committee, coupled with the willingness of member institutions to undertake the incredibly demanding task of preparing an application, is what makes this award so meaningful to the winners.  I would add, too, that it is gratifying to hear that the self-study nature of the application process has been so beneficial to the applicants and their programs. We’re told that it has built community, enhanced programs, and identified success benchmarks. 

How has the PoY committee and award changed over your leadership?  

Ingle: When we first started, the committee would identify a focal point for the award that year (e.g., transformational changes to the program, how the program seeks to advance social justice). It has since become more focused on innovative characteristics of the programs being nominated.  I believe that the focus on innovative features provided some consistency and made the award seem less like a moving target. 

Rasmussen:  Yes - the consistency has been something we’ve played with over the years and settled on innovation.  We’ve had the CPED membership help decide what innovation means to the POY and to CPED members - and our understanding of what that should be has evolved as a committee. We now see innovation as something that is defined by the institution, not by us, and what we ask is that applicants define how the program is innovative to them.  I would say, too, that the biggest change since taking of the lead of the POY committee has been the advent of rubrics and a consistent scoring process. It has certainly made leading the committee a breeze; we have a process in place that works and one we feel demonstrates integrity in the decision making process.  Applicants too have let us know that they appreciate the transparency and the feedback, even when they are not successful. We have been gratified to have applicants apply over several years if they don’t win - which shows, to me, that we’re dong something right. It’s been a lovely ride.