…because I needed a goal, and another license to add to my collection of three post-grad degrees, 7 FCC licenses and certifications, two state bar admissions, 5 federal court admissions, and a California Contractor License.

I’m pretty happy that I passed on my first attempt.

A bit relieved, too.

I get a tremendous amount of pleasure and satisfaction teaching/supervising my masters level and doctoral students/candidates at Northeastern University.  Today I received an email that can only be called ‘icing on the cake’:

Dear Jonathan,

On behalf of the college, it is my pleasure to congratulate you for receiving a student nomination for the 2021 Excellence in Teaching Award! The recipients of the award will be announced before the spring graduation.

Teaching excellence encompasses high intellectual standards in course content, rigor and integration of scholarship and new knowledge. It is also defined by interactions of faculty with their students that empower learners to achieve their goals.

I applaud your commitment to guiding and inspiring our students and thank you for your dedication .  

Sincerely,

/s/

Mary Ludden, PhD, MBA, PMP, CFE, CSM
Interim Dean CPS & Vice Chancellor

Here’s to the joy of teaching!

-Jonathan

Once more, my friend and mentee in the DLP/LP.D program, Dr. Opeoluwa Sotonwa has made news.

When I met Ope before he even applied to the Doctor of Law and Policy Program, he was the Executive Director of the Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.  He held that position throughout his studies at #NEU in the DLP program.  He leveraged his learning in the #DLP program to draft and promote legislation to educate Missouri police as to the special needs of the deaf and hard of hearing that was approved by Missouri Legislature and signed into law by its governor.  I flew to Boston just to attend his hooding.

In January 2021, Ope was appointed Commissioner for the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.  Ope’s appointment commences on March 1, 2021.  I have linked the state announcement below.

You’ll notice that the official photo of Ope to the left has him wearing a button on his lapel.  A close examination of the photo will show that he’s proudly wearing a #NEU button

There are few things in my life that make me happier than to see quality people, like Ope, rise to take on an overcome new challenges benefiting the public who are unlikely to know of their existence.  Ope is not a public servant. Rather, he is a true public hero and public protector.

Here is the link to the formal announcement in text, voiced, and in ASL:

https://www.mass.gov/news/dr-opeoluwa-sotonwa-appointed-commissioner-for-the-massachusetts-commission-for-the-deaf-and

My hat is off to my friend, Dr. Opeoluwa Sotonwa, a true representative of Northeastern University’s Doctor of Law and Policy program.

Jonathan

PS:  I’m really proud of the kid, in case you couldn’t tell!

I am particularly pleased to congratulate the newly-minted Doctor of Law and Policy, Dr. Laura Singletary on the successful defense of her thesis!

Like a proud parent, I have had the privilege of watching Laura grow from forming the idea of her thesis, to defending the thesis proposal, to changing the course of the thesis during its production, to its final defense. Dr. Ron Leatherbarrow, the second reader, was of critical help at all the key steps along the way, and I profusely thank him for helping to make Laura the Doctor she is today.

Jonathan

The Doctor of Law and Policy Program is now a part of the CPS Graduate School of Education.

What does this mean?

The DLP program has, until now, been stand-alone within the College of Professional Studies. That independence has offered certain advantages over the years. They key advantage has been program autonomy from other CPS programs.

Yet, with advantages come some downsides. One of the key downsides, in my view, has been that the DLP program hasn’t been able to access the greater resources assigned to larger doctoral programs in CPS, in this case the Graduate School of Education. Additionally, doctoral programs in the same college, but isolated from others in the same college may have varying standards.

I am a DLP graduate of the program during its standalone days. I’ve also been a DLP program instructor under the standalone model and now under the GSE model. I’m happy to report that…so far…operating as a program of the GSE has proven to be a good move. With greater access to seasoned GSE teaching and administrative professionals, along with the legacy DLP leadership which is now a part of GSE, the DLP program is now better-supported than before, and better-poised to grow.

-Jonathan

I took great pleasure in reading about a milestone accomplishment by my DLP program mentee, Opeoluwa Sotonwa. Ope’, as he’s known to his friends, is a doctoral candidate in the current DLP cohort, Cohort X.  Here’s a post from Ope’s Linked In page:

Subject: Impact of my research in Missouri

The DLP program has impressed it on me that as a scholar-practitioner, we do not have to wait for the end of our research before fixing problems we found but could be attended with immediate alacrity.

When I collected my data in December, some key issues immediately jumped out of the box. It is about how law enforcement officers can properly identify Missourians who are deaf or hard of hearing. Based on my data, I drafted a bill to change Missouri Law to make it easier for law enforcement officers to identify DHH.

I am happy to share the news that the bill not only passed in the two chambers but is now a law in Missouri. Former Missouri Governor Eric Greitens signed the bill into law before he resigned yesterday. Here is a link to the press release from my office https://mcdhh.mo.gov/release-governor-signs-two-bills-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-missourians/

Ope’

—
Opeoluwa Sotonwa, DLP Class 2018
https://www.linkedin.com/in/opeoluwasotonwa

NEU Cohort VIII Doctors of Law and Policy, Keenan Davis, Darin Detwiler, and yours truly met for brunch a few weeks ago in Portland, Oregon. We dined at the Cadillac Cafe, a well-known local spot (outstanding French Toast, by the way).

I flew up planning to spend the entire day with my brothers, but because of flight cancellations, I had to re-book my return flight to leave 4 hours sooner than planned.

Even through I only spent a fraction of the time I hoped to spend with these two indescribable guys, it was 157% worth it.

Jonathan

I’ve received a preliminary but strong invitation to teach one or two courses at Northeastern University related to regulatory law and policy development.

I happen to know a thing or three about those topics.

If the appointment goes through, it’s likely that I’ll start teaching in the Fall 2018 term.

I’m really jazzed about the possibility…I hope it becomes a reality. More when I know.

I just learned that the Doctor of Law and Policy program will be expanding to NEU’s Seattle Campus starting next year.  This is outstanding for a few reasons (off the top of my head).

More Accessible

First, this program will be far more accessible to mid-west and western students.  They will be able to fly in to Seattle the morning of the first day of each monthly intensive meeting rather than having to fly in to Boston the night before.  This will save something north of 20 hotel nights and two meals.  Let’s see…20 saved hotel nights x $225 = $4,500ish saved plus 40 meals on the road x $20 = $800ish saved = north of $5,000 saved for mid-west and western students who elect to attend the Seattle section rather than the Boston section.

More Exchanges

Second, and far more important in my mind, is that the opening of a second section allows for a broader cohort for the exchange of ideas and mutual support.

I am very excited to see how this second section plays out!  I hope to support it in whatever way best serves the program.

Jonathan