Dr. Tyechia Paul is the first Ph.D. graduate of the HU School of Business

Hampton University Class of 2015  #GradHU15

The Hampton University Class of 2015 is ready to soar. The graduates will don their caps and gowns on May 10, 2015 and join the ranks of thousands of Hampton University alumni making an impact all over the world. This blog series will feature a different member of Class of 2015 during Commencement week.  

Dr. Tyechia Paul is the first Ph.D. graduate of the HU School of Business

Tyechia Paul 

In December, Tyechia Paul became the first person to receive a Ph.D. from the Hampton University School of Business. On May 10, Dr. Paul, along with approximately 1,000 other Hampton graduates, will march in Armstrong Stadium.  

 The Ph.D. degree hybrid program in business administration includes courses in accounting, finance, marketing and management. The program requires completion of approximately 61 credit hours adjusted as necessary to incorporate life experience, a student's educational background and the time needed by a student to complete the dissertation.

Paul’s dissertation was “An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of E-Learning, Mobile Learning, and Instructor-Led Training in Organizational Training and Development”.  

"Dr. Paul is an intellectual "heavy weight," an educator who can teach, and is intensively involved in research publication,” said Dr. Sid Credle, Dean of the Hampton University School of Business.  “We expect great things from Dr. Paul. She is our brand model and trailblazer."

Paul (pictured far right second row) with classmates and Dean Credle  

Paul credits the hybrid nature of the Ph.D. program as one of the selling points for prospective students. Like other potential students, when Paul started the program she was working full-time as an IT Instructor at the global law firm, DLA Piper.  

“It’s a very intense program,” said Paul. “The other thing that drew me to the program was its hybrid nature and the fact that I wouldn't have to quit my job to go to school full time. The program still involved that residency aspect or apprenticeship aspect that you will see in a lot of Ph.D. business programs.”

Paul, who received both her B.S. in Business Administration and M.B.A. from Morgan State University, stressed why it was important to her to obtain her Ph.D. from Hampton University.  

“Another factor that drew me to the program was that I always wanted all of my degrees from HBCUs,” said Paul. “I want my success to be not in spite of having been educated at HBCUs but because I was educated at HBCUs.

“I also spent some time at Hampton in my childhood. My brother graduated from here, and I always loved the campus. I wanted to attend Hampton for undergrad. However, I found it was too far from my home in New Jersey," she said.

Paul began teaching at Bowie State University in 2013, where she teaches management in the College of Business.  

Paul at School of Business Gala with Dean Credle and guests 

“It’s definitely been a good experience not only to be educated at HBCUs but to then to turn around and teach at HBCUs. It’s been awesome,” said Paul.  

Another positive that Paul found with the HU Ph.D. program was the supportive nature of her classmates. 

“I was very fortunate to have a great cohort,” said Paul.  "We are kind of like a family. We’ll check in on each other and ask how we can assist each other with their projects and keep each other on track.” 

Paul with classmates in School of Business

Paul also highlighted the two summer residencies on campus as being paramount in terms of building relationships with her professors and classmates. During that time, students are able to learn their professors’ teaching styles and the professors were able to learn their students’ strengths and weaknesses. Some students would even make trips to see professors even after completing the second summer residency.    

“The rapport I had with my professors was solid,” said Paul. “They were very supportive. What helped to foster those relationships were the summer residencies. Because I was actually able to interact with my professors face to face and then often time the same professors would teach our classes via distance in the fall and spring semesters.”  

It is poetic that Paul is the first Ph.D. graduate in the School of Business. She went from calling Dean Credle inquiring about Hampton starting this program to becoming its first graduate.

Matthew A. White '10