Merion Mercy Faculty Earn Doctorates and Advance Educational Scholarship

This May, two Merion Mercy Academy teachers earned doctorates in education, further strengthening the school’s tradition of academic excellence and faculty scholarship. Social Studies teacher Mr. Paul Clementi and Latin teacher and Language Department chair Mrs. Suzanne Walker ‘99, P’28, both completed their doctoral degrees after years of dedicated study.

Dr. Clementi—who also holds a law degree—earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership from Gwynedd Mercy University. His dissertation, “The Sisterhood Experience: Exploring Caring Relationships and Community in All-Girls Catholic Schools Through a Grounded Theory Approach,” examined how all-girls Catholic schools shape confidence, engagement, empowerment, and agency in young women. His research included interviews with 97 alumnae from seven different all-girls schools, focusing on how relationships with teachers and faith communities influenced their personal and academic growth. He presented his preliminary findings at the International Coalition of Girls' Schools (ICGS) conference last July.

Dr. Walker, who has studied Latin for more than 30 years, earned her doctorate in Education—as well as principal certification—from Saint Joseph's University. Her dissertation, “Latin Beyond Resuscitation: How Secondary Educators Revitalize the Learning of Latin through SLA (Second Language Acquisition)-Informed Communicative Pedagogy,” explored innovative approaches to teaching Latin in today’s classrooms. Concerned by declining enrollment in Latin programs at both the secondary and collegiate levels, Dr. Walker interviewed 17 educators from across the country who teach Latin in a variety of school settings. Her research emphasized the distinction between performance and proficiency and the importance of helping students truly love the language as a pathway to stronger learning outcomes.

“Today’s educators need to be scholar-practitioners who read, research, and apply their knowledge to be more effective in the classroom,” Dr. Walker says.

In addition to Drs. Clementi and Walker, Theology teacher and department chair Mrs. Marianne Rule has also demonstrated exceptional thought leadership through a fellowship with the International Coalition of Girls' Schools, where she serves as part of the Global Action Research Collaborative for the AI Frontier in Girls’ Schools.

In June, ICGS will publish Mrs. Rule’s action research report, “Advancing Project-Based Learning Through Iterative AI Feedback: Strengthening Girls’ Confidence and Agency in Grade 9 Religious Experience.” She will also present her findings at the organization’s annual conference in Toronto and contribute to an ICGS podcast video.

Mrs. Rule’s study introduces the Teacher-Calibrated Iterative Feedback Framework, a replicable system that integrates rubric-aligned AI feedback, teacher conferencing, structured metacognitive reflection, iterative revision, and scaffold reduction. The framework positions AI as an embedded pedagogical support while strengthening student confidence and intellectual agency across disciplines.

“My findings suggest an association between iterative, teacher-calibrated AI feedback integrated into project-based learning and growth in girls’ confidence, metacognitive awareness, and agency,” Mrs. Rule explains.

Merion Mercy Academy is proud to celebrate these faculty members who embody the Mercy value of Educational Courage. Their scholarship, leadership, and commitment to lifelong learning serve as a powerful example for students and reflect the excellence of a faculty dedicated to both teaching and innovation.