Just as the students of Saint Anselm College were getting back into the swing of things after mid-semester break, one faculty member had a big reason to celebrate. Susan Gabert, the director of Campus Ministry, successfully defended her dissertation at Creighton University on March 17, earning an EdD in Interdisciplinary Leadership.

For those less familiar with the process of pursuing higher education, an EdD is a doctoral degree in the field of education, and dissertations are part of the requirements to obtain an EdD. A dissertation explains one’s research and findings in regard to his or her thesis, and the dissertation must be approved by a committee before the author can receive his or her degree.

The title of Gabert’s dissertation is “Best Practices of Boards Mission Committees in Advancing the Religious Mission and Catholic Identity of Catholic Colleges and University.” When asked about the process of writing her dissertation, Gabert describes the task – perhaps a bit modestly – as “lengthy.”

She says her paper “included a literature review examining research in the area of [her] study” as well as a “phenomenological action research study” she conducted herself, which examined “six Catholic colleges and universities who have a mission committee among their board of trustees.”

While Saint Anselm College is full of involved students and faculty alike, few are as connected to the community as Sue Gabert. As a student, she graduated in 1991 with a major in sociology and a concentration in theology. She was also a resident assistant, a member of the women’s rugby team, and a member of Koinonia, a women’s volunteer organization seeking to promote the ideals of Christian service.

Today, Gabert is an employee at Saint Anselm and has been working in Campus Ministry since August of 1994.

But her involvement with Saint Anselm does not end at the individual level – her history at the college extends to her family as well. Gabert states, “As a daughter of a faculty member, I have grown up on campus and spent so much time here.” Her father, Dr. Dennis M. Sweetland, received the Distinguished Faculty Award in 1987.

What’s more, both of Gabert’s daughters, Beth ’17 and Kathryn ’19, are also currently enrolled at Saint Anselm, making her the second of three generations at the college.

The inspiration to pursue an advanced degree came from many places for Gabert, but at the core was a passion for learning and Catholic higher education. Practically, she also says, “I hope to grow professionally and a doctorate will provide me with more opportunities and a broader base of skills to do so.”

When asked how her degree will help her even more in her role at Saint Anselm, Gabert says, “Both my studies and research have provided me with a greater depth of understanding and competence in the area of institutional mission and identity and Catholic higher education – particularly CHE leadership.”

Gabert adds that she is humbled by the article, and on the impact of the successful defense of her dissertation, she says, “I do hope that this encourages our students to consider the value of going on for an advanced degree.”