2014-2015 Grad School of Computer and Information Sciences Viewbook

21 www.scis.nova.edu | For U.S. Air Force veteran Wayne Brown, getting a Ph.D. wasn’t about title or prestige. As vice president of a California university’s IT department, he had both of those when he began the Ph.D. program at GSCIS in 2002. Brown’s Ph.D. pursuit was personal. “As vice president of IT, I was working with a lot of terminally degreed deans and senior administrators. But because I didn’t have a Ph.D., I felt like I was never really part of the club,” said Brown, who also holds an M.B.A. degree and is now vice president for extended education at Excelsior College. A high school dropout, Brown also wanted the challenge of a Ph.D. and a chance to prove to himself he could succeed. For two-and-a-half years, the 52-year-old IT executive, who is married with seven children and four dogs, spent his weekends in a garage office. “I knew that the hardest part of any Ph.D. was finishing the dissertation. I wanted to finish my degree in three years, so I needed to stay focused.” Brown’s blended program meant he spent one week each semester on NSU’s main campus. While there, he cultivated relationships with his fellow students and his faculty adviser, Trudy Abramson, Ed.D. Brown was starting to feel the pressure to interest a faculty member in his dissertation subject when Abramson reached out to him. “During one class, she invited students to come and speak to her about their research projects, so I did. Later, she agreed to be my faculty adviser for my dissertation.” Abramson’s impact on Brown was so substantial that he set up a scholarship at NSU in her name. He hopes the scholarship affirms to Abramson that her work helps students succeed. “The hours were long and the coursework was hard. But, the faculty members were on your side and supported you. Because of my faculty adviser, I was able to finish my Ph.D.” Brown’s doctoral research project eventually led to him establishing a nonprofit foundation that continues his research on the effectiveness of higher education chief information officers. “Through my research, I learned that IT administrators and chief information officers may not be prepared for the future demands of their roles. They may not have a mentor, and that’s a key component in developing and preparing them for the challenges they’ll face.” The nonprofit also provides students with scholarships, such as the one at NSU in Trudy Abramson’s honor, something Brown hopes will continue to expand. “The hours were long and the coursework was hard. But, the faculty members were on your side and supported you. Because of my faculty adviser, I was able to finish my Ph.D.” —Wayne Brown