Five Doctoral Degrees to be Awarded at ESU’s Commencement Ceremony

Photo from left to right: Glorianne Dziuba, Loretta Ann Erdo, Alison Marie Jochen, Alicia A. Knauff, Elaine Rodriguez

Five doctoral degrees will be awarded during at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania’s commencement exercises on Saturday, May 8, at 10 a.m. in Eiler-Martin Stadium. Three doctoral candidates, Loretta Ann Erdo, Alison Marie Jochen, and Alicia A. Knauff will receive a Doctorate of Education in administration and leadership studies. Two doctoral candidate will receive a Doctorate of Health Sciences; Glorianne Dziuba in advanced research administration and Elaine Rodriguez in health management and administration.

Loretta A. Erdo received her Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education / English in 2001 and a Masters in Education as a reading specialist in 2006 from East Stroudsburg University. While earning her undergraduate degree, Loretta, known to her friends as Sam, worked at ESU for almost 10 years as both a custodian and secretary. She recently retired from a 20-year career as a high school English teacher. Erdo lives in East Stroudsburg with her husband Chuck and their beagle Stache. She has four grown daughters who are a source of immense pride – Jennifer, Lori, Jessica, and Kristin. She also takes much pride in her six grandchildren: Nicholas, Jacob, Alyssa, Grace, Emily, and Chase.

Alison Jochen is a Certified School Nurse at Pleasant Valley Elementary School. Prior to becoming a school nurse, Jochen worked as an emergency room nurse for 10 years. She earned a Master of Education degree from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania in 2018. Jochen received her school nurse certification in 2014 from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. She is also a graduate of the University of Delaware, where she received her Bachelor of Science in nursing in 2005. She was previously enlisted in the Army National Guard and played the trumpet in the 287th Army Band. Jochen is an avid runner, having competed in cross country and track and field events at the high school and university level. She enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors. She resides in northeast Pennsylvania with her husband Michael and their three children, Kiera, Benjamin, and Zachary.

Alicia Knauff is an assistant principal at her alma mater, Whitehall High School in Whitehall, Pa., where she is life-long resident. After graduating from Cedar Crest College in 2001, she began her teaching career in the Allentown School District. After earning her master’s degree in TESOL from DeSales University, she began in the Whitehall-Coplay School District in 2006 and later earned her principal certification from Cabrini University before beginning the doctoral program at ESU. She is the proud mother of three girls – Shadimon, Amaya and Jade.

Glorianne Dziuba is an assistant professor and chair of the Department of Nursing and Allied Health Science at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania, where she teaches in the nutrition and community health education programs. Dziuba is a Registered Nurse and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, is board certified in advanced diabetes management and is a Community Health Education Specialist. She and her husband Steve live in Mansfield, Pa. They are most proud of their four children who are now out of the nest and making positive contributions in the world. In her spare time, Dziuba enjoys playing piano, choral singing, cooking, hiking, and gardening.

Elaine Rodriguez has a bachelor’s degree in natural science from the University of Puerto Rico and a Master of Public Health from East Stroudsburg University. Rodriguez has worked at ESU since 2002 serving in various capacities that include instructor, research assistant, assistant to the dean of the College of Health Sciences, coordinator of study abroad programs, internship coordinator, clinical liaison, and liaison between ESU and University of Puerto Rico. Some of her professional accomplishments include the publication of “The Quality of Spanish Health Information Websites: An Emerging Disparity” in the Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community, and two health needs assessments completed in foreign countries with the first focusing on the Lou Tribe in Kenya and the second on the population in Antigua, Guatemala. The most recent research is “Assessing the Prevalence of Burnout Among Health Administrators and Their Coping Strategies during COVID-19.”

For more information about the doctoral program, including applying for admission/acceptance, contact Kevin Quintero, associate director of graduate and extended studies at (570) 422-3890 or kquintero@esu.edu.

Search

Recent Posts