UWG Stories
Dr. Ann Baker
“The requirements and changes that occurred in my program enhanced my knowledge base and made me more confident to work with other leaders in the field.”
As University of West Georgia’s first doctoral graduate, Dr. Ann Baker experienced an evolution—one of an institution and herself.
This progression helped mold UWG’s Doctorate of Education in School Improvement program and won Baker a Distinguished Dissertation Award from international honor society Kappa Delta Pi.
After 30 years in public education, Baker experienced an accident that made her reevaluate life. She retired and began concentrating on her doctorate and a new career. Her dissertation, Women Educational Leaders: Beliefs, Practices and Leadership Characteristics for School Improvement, focused on gender differences in leadership style.
“As women educational leaders grow in numbers, I thought it was important to examine the specifics of gender difference in successful educational leaders,” Baker said, noting that female administrators spent more time on curriculum and instruction while males focused on management and operations.
This research proves beneficial in her position as a consultant for the Cobb County School District’s Leadership Center. Via role-playing and activities, Baker helps educators build on their individual strengths, which in turn enhances school improvement.
Baker credits the knowledge gained in course work at UWG as a vast reservoir of information for her positions as consultant and online research instructor for the University of Phoenix.
“My studies at UWG not only increased my knowledge of the subject but helped me to form more specific ideas and opinions about the processes that bring about school effectiveness,” Baker said.
As a pioneer of UWG’s doctorate program, Baker learned the lesson of flexibility.
“The requirements and changes that occurred in my program enhanced my knowledge base and made me more confident to work with other leaders in the field,” Baker said. “My doctorate, along with my 30 years of experience, has given me a solid base with which to approach school improvement.”
