JD Myers dropped out of high school, but that didn't stop him. He found success in the Air Force, serving his country for 29 years, including a return to active duty after the 9/11 attacks.
That determination served him well once he returned to school to earn his general education diploma and gradually advance to Grand Canyon University’s College of Doctoral Studies.
As Myers approached the finish line of his academic odyssey, an email from Doctoral Chair Dr. Lori Wieters honored him.
But that email was actually a setup.
Myers wasn’t just the graduate of the month. He earned the distinction of being the 3,000th graduate of the University's doctoral program.
“God works in amazing ways,” Myers said as soon as he learned of the milestone. “This was a total surprise, an exciting one that I shared with my family.”
That family extends to the deans and chairs of the department who support and advise GCU's students and give them tough love when needed.
Those who have persevered, like Myers, have expressed gratitude for the support that has carried them through.
“There was nobody that went through the program just to go through the programs,” said Myers, who successfully defended his dissertation, “A Comparative Study of Entrepreneurial Orientation Between Charter and Traditional School Principals,” to earn his doctorate in organizational leadership.
“They had to get through that program, achieve it, be successful in it. Not just get to the finish line, but enjoy the exercise along the way, the journey to create endurance, determination and discernment – a lot of not only academics sharpening, but a lot of maturity. And I was a developing model of maturity.
“I thought I was mature in the military. This was a maturity model put to work, like none other.”
A bit of fortune factored into Myers achieving his ultimate academic goal. He failed in two previous doctoral dissertation attempts, partly because they seem more tailored for a candidate pursuing a business administration doctorate.
That caused him to take a break before resuming his studies, with Wieters’ involvement.
“He wouldn’t have been the 3,000th graduate,” Wieters said. “So there is a God.”
Wieters, who started as Myers’ content expert before moving over to serve as his chair, marveled over his persistence.
“He’s had a lot of ups and downs, so he’s had the persistence, grit and willingness to stick to it,” Wieters said. “I don’t know how else you would describe it.”
She's proud to be part of the college reaching the 3,000th-graduate milestone after joining the department in 2010 and reporting to Dr. June Maul, “the godmother of all things dissertation,” as Wieters described her.
In addition to running her Purposeful Leadership Consulting business for more than 20 years, Wieters has served in the doctoral college as a content expert, residency instructor and chair, as well as GCU adjunct professor specializing in psychology, leadership and business. She also is active in redesigning classes.
She plans to retire from her chair role following the completion of dissertations by two students. She will devote more time to her business and growing the Wi2 Co-Lab, a collaborative that oversees three business initiatives – Athena Valley of the Sun, Wi2 Co-Lab's Leadership and Organizational Development initiatives, and the Dissertation Collaborative.
And Myers won’t be far from her. He’s scheduled to join the HumanLytics Team, a consulting firm for which Wieters serves as Chief Science Officer. Myers will specialize in human talent and retired military workplace transition.
Said Wieters, “He’s going to be a great colleague of ours."
GCU Senior Writer Mark Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]
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