TU hosts first Doctoral Hooding ceremony
University honored 55 students from six doctoral programs
By Kyle Hobstetter on May 23, 2022
On Wednesday, May 25, the Office of Graduate Studies hosted the Doctoral Hooding ceremony inside the University Union Ballrooms—TU’s first such ceremony in school history.
For many, a doctoral degree demonstrates a special effort to develop academic talents and strengthen skills in research and clinical practice. Towson University wanted to have a special ceremony to honor these graduates for their years of hard work.
“We are excited to hold our inaugural Doctoral Hooding ceremony to recognize our graduates who have earned the highest degrees in their academic fields,” says Melanie Perreault, provost and executive vice president for academic and student affairs.
“Their achievement is the result of years of dedicated classwork and research, and we look forward to being able to be the first to call them ‘doctor.’”
Towson University honored 55 candidates from six doctoral programs:
- Audiology, Au.D.
- Information Technology, D.Sc.
- Instructional Technology, Ed.D.
- Occupational Science, Sc.D.
- Occupational Therapy Ot.D. — Entry-Level
- Occupational Therapy Ot.D. — Post-Professional
Each student was honored by their adviser and have their dissertation title announced.
“This ceremony recognizes that this is their terminal degree, and this may be the end of their academic pathway,” says David Ownby, interim dean of the Office of Graduate Studies.
“It gives our doctoral students one last hurrah with the group that they went through classwork with.”
One of those students is Rebecca Sykes, who received her entry-level occupational therapy doctorate.
She completed her doctoral capstone with the Baltimore Infants and Toddlers Program within Baltimore City Public Schools. Sykes identified a need for family-centered resources that describe the transition process from early intervention to school-based services. She created a toolkit with 20 accessible resources for families in the Baltimore City area that answer many questions about the transition process and early intervention services.
“This ceremony is really the culmination of three years of hard work and dedication,” Sykes says. “It’s a time for all of us to look back on how far we have come and how we’ve grown as individuals and occupational therapists.
“Being recognized for our work is honestly icing on the cake. I know we’re so proud of ourselves as a cohort, but this ceremony lets us share our excitement with other people that supported us during grad school.”
Check out the Towson University Flickr account for photos from the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony. To stay up to date with Towson University’s Commencement coverage, follow TU on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.