Hudspith earns doctorate degree

It is said that education is the most powerful weapon one can use to change the world for the better. Not only is that premise the foundation of the Waseca School District, but Superintendent Eric Hudspith illustrates it in his personal life through the completion of  an Ed.D. (Education Doctorate) in Educational Leadership from Minnesota State University Mankato. “A core belief of mine is that all students have the ability and right to succeed, and the role of education is to increase opportunities for all students,” he says. “However, education is an ever-changing field just like the world we live in. Pursuing a terminal degree further demonstrates my commitment to being a lifelong learner and staying current in the field to best serve students.”  

Hudspith, whose background includes a bachelor of science in elementary education, a master of science in educational technology,  K-12 Education Specialist licensure,  K-12 Principal Leadership licensure, and superintendent licensure, said he still felt  he would be able to accomplish more with the advanced degree, stating he believes it is critically important the district stays current and responsive to the needs of students as they prepare for a world that is constantly changing. To him, part of that effort is ensuring awareness of real-time discussions in education. “Being part of this degree program has networked me with key colleagues throughout the state who support me in this, and helped enhance my connection with law and policy makers that influence our education system,” he said. “Additionally, I am currently connected with other researchers who are focusing on teacher recruitment strategies, allowing me to be in the discussion early so that Waseca students can benefit.”

Between his admission in autumn of 2021 and his dissertation defense in January of this year, Hudspith’s course load included classes in policy, law, research design, and system analysis. “Dissertation (research) that I conducted was measuring the effectiveness of particular strategic practices in recruiting and retaining diverse staff in rural Minnesota.” he said. “For two school years, including the summers, I was in class one night per week for 3-4 hours, plus additional time outside of class to do the work. Over one summer I co-taught a graduate class as part of an internship which required several Saturdays.” 

When asked whether he was surprised by anything in the process, Hudspith stated, “The most surprising thing is how engrossed you become in the research that is so exciting and meaningful. I didn’t realize how much time I was spending writing the paper until I was done, and then a lot of evening and weekend time opened up. Without even being overly stressful or anxiety-inducing, I had just been doing the work to get it accomplished and because it was exciting, field-changing work.”

Is he glad to be done? “It is a big accomplishment, but I am also excited because the credential does carry a networking aspect, which I will be able to use as appropriate to benefit Waseca students by being on the forefront of more ideas,” Hudspith said. “I am eternally grateful to my wife and children for understanding that this was the commitment, how important it was to my work and our growth, and being supportive the entire time. There is no sugar coating the time and energy it took, but we did it together because it was important to us.”