Outstanding Graduate Student
(Masters or Doctoral level)
The Alumni Award for Outstanding Graduate Student is awarded to a student who
has demonstrated a commitment to Gwynedd Mercy University and its Mercy
Mission as well as a commitment to academics and personal or professional
goals.
Recipient: Derrick Wheatley
Doctor of Education
Derrick Wheatley is currently an instructor
for Southwest Tennessee Community College
(SWCC), a large, urban institution that
serves a diverse population in Memphis,
Tennessee.
Derrick has been an extraordinary leader
in higher education, holding a variety of
positions including Associate Academic
Dean, Business Instructor and Upward
Bound Counselor. These experiences have
given him a unique perspective on supporting
disadvantaged students.
Through his dissertation research and personal experience with First Year
Experience programs, Derrick believes that a holistic approach is the key to a
student’s success. After successfully defending his dissertation, Derrick was
appointed to lead a team in developing an FYE program for SWCC. He was also
elected to Faculty Senate.
Derrick is a true leader in Mercy and embodies the spirit of Gwynedd Mercy
University.