Warwick resident and educator Anne Prial earns Doctorate Degree

A Doctorate Degree is a prestigious and difficult to achieve research degree that qualifies the holder to teach at university level in the degree's field, or to work in a specific profession.

Longtime Warwick resident and Associate Vice President Business, Math, Science, and Technology at SUNY Orange, Anne Prial, was recently awarded her PhD in Community College Leadership from Old Dominion University, one of the largest universities in Virginia, classified among "Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity."

The University’s statement read, “Community College Leadership doctoral student Anne Leavy-Prial successfully defended her dissertation today. The dissertation is titled, The Impact of Moderate Physical Activity and Student Engagement on Retention at a Community College.”

For the dedication, Prial added, “This dissertation is dedicated to my dad, who instilled in me the passion for and understanding of the power of physical exercise; to my mom who encouraged me in all my endeavors, and to my husband, Greg, for all he sacrificed and did for me over these past five years.”.

She explained that her passion for physical activity, including completing the 26.2 mile Warwick Marathon in 1996, and engagements with students led to this study because student retention is a problem nationwide, especially at community colleges, where part of the mission is open access.

Prial, who also has an AS, BS, and MA in Mathematics, had taught Honors Courses in the mornings for Grade-8 students at Warwick’s St. Stephen – St. Edward Elementary School before traveling to SUNY Orange to teach mathematics..

In 2012 she became Department Chair of the Math Department at SUNY Orange and three years later, was promoted to Associate Vice President.

“I always hoped to get a PhD in Statistics,” said Prial, “but as life happened, I ended up with administrative jobs and the next thing I knew I was in a PhD program for Community College Leadership at Old Dominion University.”

Prial and her husband, Greg, moved to Warwick 28 years ago with their three children,

Today they have five children and two grandchildren.

Their oldest, Becky, 33, and her husband, Joe, who own Old Ford Farm in New Paltz, have two children, Sam, 7, and Ada, 5.

Terence, 30, who is engaged, serves in the Army and is currently at Fordham Law School studying to be a JAG officer.

Danny, 29, who served as an Army Captain and Black Hawk helicopter pilot during active duty, is currently transitioning to the New York Army National Guard and, when the current crisis ends, he plans to fly helicopter tours over NYC.

Brigid, 22, is studying for her PhD in the History of Science at the University of Pennsylvania.

And Jennie, 21, is a Junior, studying Biology / Pre-Med at Xavier University.

- Roger Gavan