Photo by Mike Zimmerman, CUW Marketing & Communications Deborah Frances Pierre (’25)—but call her Frances—has spent many years paving her way to a doctoral degree. On May 2, her dreams came to fruition.
Editor’s note: This is one in a series of stories highlighting a few Concordia’s uncommon graduates. Faculty and staff submit candidates for consideration. Stories are posted in the days leading up to or after commencement. View more uncommon graduates here.
Frances Pierre: A bit of background
Frances was glowing as she walked across the stage at Concordia’s Commencement with her head held high. Her confidence quite contagious, she proudly accepted her Doctorate of Education in Leadership in Innovation and Continuous Improvement (LICI) program.
Prior to attending Concordia University Wisconsin, she completed a certification program through the Center for Integrated Training & Education. This encouraged her to examine which route she would take to obtain a doctorate. After doing an adequate amount of research—applying to other schools for a baseline of cost and questioning her own motives behind pursuing the degree—she decided to complete CUW’s online program, finding it to be the best fit for her. She appreciated that with the school’s help she could manage her student career at her own pace.
“We had two in-person, full-week training sessions in New York, which I liked because I didn’t want to do exclusively online, but I also couldn’t commit to something where I had to be present once a week or once a month,” says Frances. She was able to meet her professors and peers face to face, giving her that peace of mind needed to successfully endure two years of online classes.
There was something about CUW that was different from the other schools she looked at. “I wasn’t sure at the time, but it felt like I would be supported,” she notes. “And I chose right … I was supported through every path, every step—semester to semester—and it was really good.”
Her faith, as she put it, “grew through this process.” The faith-based assignments part of the LICI program really challenged her to think differently about trusting in God and believing in things unseen.
The impetus behind the LICI doctoral program
Besides being a former special educator and current full-time administrator—supporting kids with disabilities—in the New York Public School system, Frances is also a wife and a mother to an autistic son. Her life has been hectic, and although she pined for it, obtaining a doctorate earlier in life was put on the backburner.
Prior to even starting a family, she wasn’t truly secure and confident in her abilities in academia. “I have ADHD and it affects my executive functioning, like kind of learning how to organize myself, and all the things that come with it,” she explains. “There was a lot of doubt before and after having my son, and getting a little bit deeper in the administrative part of being in education … I said, ‘I actually can do this right. Like, I can do this … I can figure it out.’ And I figured it out.”
Her son Destin, currently 6, was the “impetus.” She saw the signs (red flags) of autism and went into supermom mode. Once she was able to get a handle on the therapies, routine, and trajectory that was needed for her son to thrive, Frances began thinking about other parents that may not have access to the education or resources she has. She decided she was going to be a positive influence and help them since being a caregiver of an autistic child is not easy and “schools can only do so much.”
According to Dr. Angela Walmsley, professor of education and assistant director of the LICI doctoral program, Frances lives her vocation daily. As a faithful person she is “dedicated to improving the lives of children, especially children with special needs.”
With so much understanding and compassion for others, where does Frances go from here?
It takes a village
With her doctorate now in tow, Frances plans on doing consultant work for families so they are better suited to engage with schools regarding their child’s future. On the other side of that notion, she also plans to work with school districts, teachers, and principals giving them insight into what families face and how to support them. The ultimate goal is to create a partnership between families and schools “because the child deserves it.”
A special thanks from Frances Pierre
A special thanks to CUW faculty goes out to her Dissertation Chair Dr. Angela Walmsley for pushing her to do her best, and to her first professor at CUW, Dr. Preston Cosgrove, for inspiring her to always be intentional about how she is disseminating information.
For more information on Autism
According to Autismspeaks.org, Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention currently reports that 1 in 31 children have ASD.
Want in?
Inspired by a Christian worldview, stewardship, and service, the mission of the cross-disciplinary LICI doctoral program is to prepare and equip individuals to be lifelong learners and exceptional leaders who will make a positive impact and add value to their vocations and communities.