Doctoral Program Graduates' Dissertation Topics
Author Title (Year) Where Are They Now?

William Rutledge Orton Influences of Self in Career Decision-making among Gifted Adolescents Attending Governor’s School in Science and Technology (Virginia) (1999)
Professional Consultant
Linda Avery Teacher Efficacy and Behavior: Their Relationship and Impact on Student Learning (2000) Professional Consultant and Independent Researcher
Claire Hughes Comparative Study of Teaching Critical Thinking Through Persuasive Writing to Average, Gifted and Students with Learning Disabilities (2000) Indiana University in Pennsylvania
Martin Reardon Assessing Potential for Learning: A Factor-analytic Study of a Performance-based Identification Protocol for Young, Socioeconomically Disadvantaged High-ability Learners (2000) Assistant Professor, Director
Graduate Educational Leadership Program, School of Education
Marian College Fond du Lac, WI
Elissa Brown Systemic Reform: The Impact of North Carolina’s State-initiated Polices on Local Gifted Programs (2001) Director of Gifted North Carolina
Lisa A. Schenkel Optimal Educational Experiences and Their Relationship to Self-concept and Flow in Adolescent High-Ability and Gifted Learners (2001) Professional Consultant
Catherine Little A Study of Figurative Language Development and Production in Primary Gifted Children (2002)
Assistant Professor of Gifted Education, University of Connecticut
Christine Hill   Coordinator for Gifted Education, Newport News Public Schools
Newport News, VA
Louis P. Lloyd-Zannini A Correlation Study of School Principals Perceptions of Self-efficacy and the Availability & Quality of Gifted Programming in their Schools (2002) Regent University
Virginia Beach, VA
Jeanne Struck A Study of Talent Development in a Predominantly Low SES and/or African American Population (2003) Supervisor of Gifted and Fine Arts Williamsburg/James City County School Division
Valerie Gregory Effects of Staff Development on Student Learning (2002) Chesterfield Co. Public Schools, Chesterfield, VA
Tacey Hopper Case studies of home-schooled gifted students (2002)  

Donna Poland
Instructional Strategies in Science Classrooms of Specialized Secondary Schools for the Gifted (2003) Virginia State Gifted Coordinator
Ellen Fithian Rate of advanced placement (AP) exam taking among AP-enrolled students: A study of New Jersey High Schools (2003) Professional Consultant and Independent researcher
Kim Chandler A National Study of Curriculum Policies and Practices in Gifted Education (2004) Director, Curriculum and Instruction
Center for Gifted Education
College of William and Mary

Suzanna Henshon
Talent Development and the Creative Writing Process: A Study of High-ability and Gifted Teenagers (2005) Professional Writer and
published author
Instructor, Florida Gulf Coast University
Chwee Quek A National Study of Scientific Talent Development in Singapore (2005) Ministry of Education, Singapore
Suzannah Wood Gifted and Talented Adolescents; Experiences in School Counseling: A Mixed Method Investigation. (2005) Assistant Professor, University of Iowa
Wenyu Bai Developmental Strategies and Styles of Gifted Adolescents and Their Measurement of Gifted Students. (2006)  
Heather French The Use of Jacob's Ladder to Enhance Critical Thinking Abilities in Gifted and Promising Learners Populations (2006)  
Kim Tyler A Study of Perceived Teacher Effectiveness (2006) Assistant Professor, Texas Wesleyan in Burleson, TX
Bess Worley II An Exploratory Study of Secondary Arts Schools for the Gifted. (2006) Gifted Coordinator Gloucester County Public Schools
Paula Ginsberg An Exploratory Study of the Success of Twice-exceptional Students in College. (2007)  
Susan McGowan An Exploratory Study of the Use of Critical and Creative Thinking in Elementary Language Arts Classrooms. (2007) Assistant Professor, Longwood University, VA
Tamra Stambaugh An Exploratory Study of Jacob's Ladder Reading Comprehension Program. (2007) Director of School Programs and Services

Center for Gifted Education, P.O Box 8795. Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Phone 757-221-2362 Fax 757-221-2184
copyright 2007, The College of William and Mary Center for Gifted Education