Kimberleigh De Laine plans to use her Doctorate of Business Administration to begin a new chapter in her career. 

Messages of “Yes Soror!” flooded the Zoom chat as then-Doctorate of Business Administration candidate Kimberleigh De Laine successfully defended her dissertation this spring at the Fox School of Business.

When a soror completes her DBA defense, the sisters are sure to cheer her on. 

Those cheerleaders included the sisters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., a close-knit sisterhood that celebrates college-educated women who dedicate themselves to bettering the Black community and public service. 

Also among the more than 20 people who witnessed De Laine’s DBA defense on March 30 of this year. Her mother, A. Lois De Laine who along with De Laine’s late father, has also earned a doctorate degree.

De Laine’s accomplishment is especially impressive considering how low statistics are for women of color completing their doctorate. 

In 2021, Forbes reported that only 4.4% of doctorate recipients were Black women based on a study from the National Science Foundation’s Survey of Earned Doctorates. Black women are less likely to earn their doctorate in comparison to their white female counterparts. 

De Laine focused her dissertation on branding and the effect media has on a company’s success.

“For brand managers, it's very important because they will know how to either prevent or recover from negative word of mouth,” De Laine says. “It’s also really important for, especially in-house, departments that handle risk management or crises.” 

De Laine currently owns and operates “For Any Reason or Season,” an event planning company that organizes weddings and corporate conventions. While running her own business has been rewarding in many ways, De Laine says she is ready for a change and believes her DBA will help her start a new chapter, possibly working in the area of federal business administration.

De Laine feels confident in beginning this new chapter of her life. She is grateful for the support of her community, especially from her sisterhood who have guided her through many trials and tribulations. 

“I was looking for a sisterhood, not just my regular friends, but a sisterhood where, if you need somebody to have your back, you always have your sorors,” De Laine says. 

In addition to the sisterhood, De Laine credits the community of support she found at the Fox School for having contributed to her success. 

“I specifically chose Temple's program,” De Laine says. “They have been very supportive—from my advisors to the rest of the faculty.”