Margaret-Mary Sulentic Dowell, PhD, Presents Research at University Council of Educational Administration 2025 National Conference

BATON ROUGE, LA — Lutrill & Pearl Payne School of Education (SOE) professor Margaret-Mary Sulentic Dowell, PhD, the Cecil “Pete” Taylor Endowed Professor of Literacy Leadership and Urban Education, presented original research at the University Council of Educational Administration (UCEA) conference, held in San Juan, Puerto Rico from November 19-22, 2025. The UCEA is the premier research conference for educational leaders, reflecting Sulentic Dowell’s leadership as coordinator of the SOE’s doctoral program in PK-12 Educational Leadership. SOE has maintained institutional membership with UCEA for more than 25 years. 

Sulentic Dowell presented one session, “Mentoring, Advising, Productivity, & Publishing: Keeping it Real-Gaining Perspective on Expectation of the Academy,” aimed at early career academics and doctoral students, collaborating on this presentation with University of Louisiana – Lafayette (ULL) colleague, Heather Dunham, with assistance from LSU colleagues Cynthia F. DiCarlo, PhD, and Henderson Lewis, Jr. PhD. Sulentic Dowell co-collaborated with Dunham on a second presentation in a session titled “Leadership and the Behaviorist: A Critique of the Assumptions of MTSS.” Dunham and Sulentic Dowell employed a Critical Policy Analysis (CPA) approach to examine the epistemological assumptions embedded within MTSS as both policy and practice: CPA interrogates policy as a social, political, and ideological construct by asking: who benefits? who is marginalized? and what knowledge systems are privileged? Sulentic Dowell and Dunham have completed a manuscript of their joint research and are exploring potential grant opportunities.

The UCEA sessions illustrate Sulentic Dowell’s stance as an interdisciplinary researcher, as she has carved out a niche as a literacy leadership researcher and scholar. Her innovative sessions epitomize UCEA’s stance that quality leadership matters.

“Collaborating with an outstanding ULL colleague as well as Lutrill & Pearl Payne School of Education colleagues was edifying in terms recent research efforts, but equally significant, was sharing progress with educational leadership faculty from across the United States," Sulentic Dowell said. "Both presentations characterize my interdisciplinary research interests, and I am deeply thankful to have received travel support from the College of Human Sciences & Education to present research, and I am very grateful to the Lutrill & Pearl Payne School of Education for underwriting institutional membership in UCEA.”

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About the LSU Lutrill & Pearl Payne School of Education
A school of the LSU College of Human Sciences & Education, the Lutrill & Pearl Payne School of Education (SOE) offers undergraduate programs for students who want to pursue a career as a pre-kindergarten through 12th grade teacher or acquire dual certification in both traditional elementary and special education classrooms. In addition, SOE offers 3 graduate certificates, 17 master’s degree program areas, 9 EdS certificate programs, and 2 PhD degrees in 11 areas of focus. SOE’s focus is not only on preparing highly qualified teachers but also in preparing educational leaders, curriculum studies scholars, educational technology experts, applied researchers, higher education professionals, school counselors, and clinical mental health counselors. SOE specializes scholarly expertise regarding pressing educational and wellness issues across the entire lifespan.

Visit the LSU Lutrill & Pearl Payne School of Education website.

About the College of Human Sciences & Education 
The College of Human Sciences & Education (CHSE) is a nationally accredited division of Louisiana State University. The college is comprised of the School of Education, the School of Information Studies, the School of Kinesiology, the School of Leadership & Human Resource Development, and the School of Social Work. CHSE has two model demonstration schools, the Early Childhood Education Laboratory Preschool, enrolling birth to age four and the University Laboratory School enrolling Kindergarten through grade 12. The college also has four centers and institutes: the Early Childhood Education Institute, the Healthy Aging Research Center, the Leadership Development Institute, and Social Research & Evaluation Center. The college is committed to achieving the highest standards in teaching, research, and service and aims to improve quality of life across the lifespan.

Visit the College of Human Sciences & Education website.