Gabriele Meiselwitz, an assistant professor of computer and information sciences, was hooded at the 2 p.m. ceremony.
Her dissertation was titled "Integration of usability factors into evaluation of student learning outcomes in online learning environments."
A record-breaking nine doctorates in audiology were also conferred.
Towson conferred its first two doctoral degrees in May 2004. Three were presented in January 2005 and two were added in May 2005. Until this month, all of the degrees were in audiology. "The number has increased dramatically from last year, and we intend to see that continue in the applied fields like audiology," President Robert Caret said.
Provost James Brennan said Towson will have a constellation of about six doctoral programs for the foreseeable future.
"These will generate about 15 to 20 doctorates a year, which qualifies us for Doctoral Intensive as a national classification for universities," Brennan said.
He said the programs are designed to fit within the University's metropolitan mission.
"The doctoral programs tend to be located substantively at that intersection between basic research and the application of research," he said. "Our programs to date â€" in Audiology, Occupational Therapy, Information Science, and Education â€" are all consistent with the University's mission. Our goal is to have the doctoral programs complement other graduate programs at the masters level and our baccalaureate programs."
After commencement, the new doctoral graduates reunited with their family members outside the Towson Center.
Standing with several of her fellow graduates, Kimberly Stremmel said she felt overwhelmed by the significance of the day.
"It was a lot of hard work," she said.
"But it was very, very rewarding," Nancy Hart, another audiology grad, added.
Hart said the time commitment was significant.
"You have to be willing to sacrifice a lot of your social life," she said, to work on independent research assignments and clinical placements.
"I needed a lot of support from my family or else I couldn't have made it through," she said. When she first enrolled at Towson, her daughter, now 9 years old, had just celebrated her third birthday. Right on cue, Hart's husband Lloyd walked up. "Are there any doctors around here?" he joked. She held up her diploma and hugged her daughter.
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