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Advance your career with a master's degree in Catholic School Leadership

Recognizing the need for Catholic school administrators to be prepared not only as curriculum, personnel, and financial leaders, but also as spiritual leaders, Madonna University has joined with the Archdiocese of Detroit and Sacred Heart Major Seminary to offer the Catholic School Leadership Master's degree program.  This program follows the guidelines for administrator certification, and is designed for part-time students with full-time work commitments.

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Student Success

MSCS Success

Fr. Jefferson M Thompson, CSB (MSCS graduate) 

Why did you choose Madonna University?
It was a local and reputable Catholic university offering precisely the degree in Catholic school leadership that I was looking for and needed at the time.

What do you think makes the experience and education at Madonna special?
The University’s Catholic identity and ethos, class sizes, interpersonal dynamics and interactions between professors and students, knowledgeable and helpful guidance by program directors, and the Graduation Mass with the Bishop are highlights for me.

What have you been doing since graduation, career wise? 2012-14: President of Detroit Catholic Central High School, Novi, and MI 2014-present: President of St. Michael's College School, Toronto, Canada (my alma mater, also represented by a big Blue M).

How has your Madonna degree played a role in your current position?
Elements from all my Madonna courses continue to inform and influence my ongoing analysis, judgment, planning, and direction of diverse school programs and initiatives. In the leadership of my schools, I have always been guided by our discussions in leadership classes about the important differences between the life world and the systems world in daily school life.

What has been your most rewarding professional or personal experience since graduating?
My most rewarding professional experience has been being appointed the President of my alma mater. St. Mike's gave me the foundation for life and it is where I discerned my priestly vocation with the Basilian Fathers.  Also, having been blessed with the culture and benefits of Catholic education all my life, I continue to receive confirmation time after time from current students, parents, faculty, and staff, as well as alumni students and parents, about the value and importance of the many dimensions of the life world in our school life, which is always supported by the spiritual foundations of faith and service; because it is this pervasive culture that makes the most lasting impression and effects the greatest lasting impact on all generations within our school community.

RELATED PROGRAMS

Educational Leadership (MSEL)

The Master of Science in Educational Leadership is designed for part-time students with full-time work commitments.  This program follows national and State leadership standards and students are eligible for administrator certification in Michigan upon program completion.

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Faculty Bios

Leisa Marie CarzonProgram Director

A.B.Ed University of Michigan

M.M. Michigan State University

M.A. Eastern Michigan University

Ph.D. University of the Cumberlands

lcarzon@madonna.edu

734-432-5483, 2230A

Leisa Marie Carzon

Leisa Marie Carzon, Ph.D.,has over 27 years in higher education. She is Director of the Catholic School Leadership graduate program and an assistant professor.  She graduated with high distinction from the University of Michigan and obtained graduate degrees in educational leadership from Eastern Michigan and University of the Cumberlands. Her research interests include K-12 education, Catholic school identity, and the spiritual formation and theological literacy of Catholic school administrators.  She is currently a principal investigator for a nationwide study to provide feedback to the Congregation for Catholic Education, a Pontifical congregation of the Roman Curia, with results to be presented to the Vatican.  

She is also coloratura soprano, holds a graduate degree in vocal performance, and has performed both nationally and internationally.  She has sung with the Michigan Opera Theater and Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and has been a featured soloist with numerous symphonies, chamber ensembles, and choral groups. Musical highlights include performances as an oratorio soloist on recordings, a featured operatic role in Italy, a vocalist in a DSO production with Maureen McGovern, a soloist for the consecration of the EWTN-affiliated Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, and a chamber vocalist for a visit of His Holiness Pope St. John Paul II. 

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Rick BenedictProfessor Emeritus

B.A. Michigan State University

M.A. Western Michigan University

Ed.D. Western Michigan University

rbenedict@madonna.edu

734-432-5855

Rick Benedict

Richard R (Rick) Benedict, Ed.D., Professor Emeritus, was a full time faculty member of Madonna University since the fall of 2001.  He served as chair of the Teacher Education Program for six years – interrupted by a year of recuperation from a bout with leukemia and a bone marrow transplant.  He recently rejoined the faculty, part-time, to serve as Chair of the Master of Science programs (Educational Leadership and Catholic School Leadership) for this current academic year.  Prior to his tenure at Madonna, Dr. Benedict, spent 30 years in public schools in many different roles – including high school principal, middle school principal, developer of a network of alternative high schools (Enterprise High – see the book “Trashcan Kids”), an occupational education teacher, a vocational education administrator, a high school teacher and football coach.  He served as adjunct faculty for both Saginaw Valley State and Oakland University before he joined the faculty at Madonna.  He has a bachelor’s degree in Economics, a master’s degree in counseling, a doctorate in educational leadership and is also a commissioned spiritual director (trained through the Jesuits at Manresa). 

His interests include educational change, elevating the professional status of teachers, advocating for the integration of social-emotional goals in the assessment of school performance, and improving the learning-lives of all learners – including teachers, administrators, parents and the learners from whom we learn to teach.  

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Joy OslundAssociate Professor

B.S Oakland University 

M.A. Northern Michigan University 

Ph.D. Michigan State University 

joslund@madonna.edu

734-432-5790, 2230F 

Joy Oslund

Joy Oslund, Ph.D. is the Coordinator of Directed Teaching and an Assistant Professor in the College of Education. She joined the full time faculty of Madonna University in 2016. She received her Ph.D. in Teacher Education from Michigan State University. Her research interests include teaching elementary mathematics for social justice, using cooperative group work to promote equity in classrooms, and teacher learning. She serves on the board for the Detroit Area Council of Teachers of Mathematics and is actively engaged in organizations promoting anti-racism in schools.

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Stewart Wood

Associate Dean of University Assessment

Professor

B.Ed. Bishop Grosseteste College 

M.Ed. University of Sheffield 

Ph.D. University of Michigan 

swood@madonna.edu

734-432-5645, 2230H

Stewart Wood

Stewart Wood is the Associate Dean for University Assessment, Professor of Education, and Chair of the Faculty Professional Development Committee. Stewart joined the full-time faculty at Madonna University in 1994. He teaches Educational Research and Practice in the HEA program, drawing on his expertise in teaching and learning theory, educational psychology, lifelong learning, achievement motivation, and assessment. Dr. Wood is an active member of the American Educational Research Association and serves as a reviewer for the Lilly Conferences on College Teaching. Dr. Wood has served on numerous advisory boards and published articles in Phi Delta Kappa and the Journal of Early Adolescence. Stewart earned his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Michigan and M.Ed. from the University of Sheffield, U.K.

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Anne MorrisAssociate Professor

A.B. University of Michigan 

M.S. University of Dayton 

Ph.D. University of Michigan 

amorris@madonna.edu 

734-432-5653, 2204 

Anne Morris

Dr. Anne M. Morris is an Associate Professor and Madonna University’s Director of Institutional Effectiveness. Her doctoral degree is in Educational Leadership and her professional interests include organizational change, assessment, strategic planning, and K-12 Catholic schooling. Dr. Morris teaches in the Educational Leadership master’s program. She is a member of the Academic Excellence Committee for the Archdiocese of Detroit and serves as a board member for a local Catholic elementary school.

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