It is with great pleasure that we announce that Shelly Lyons has successfully defended her doctoral dissertation at Royal Roads University—earning the rare and prestigious recognition of Distinction. According to the Royal Roads University Academic Regulations, dissertations recommended for Distinction are judged to be outstanding and are considered to fall within the top 1–3 percent of submissions.
Dr. Lyons’ research marks a significant academic achievement and reflects both her scholarly expertise and her lifelong passion for supporting Adult Third Culture Kids (ATCKs). Her dissertation, titled “Adult Third Culture Kid’s (ATCK’s) Concept of Belonging and Identity Creation: Can Spiritual Self-Leadership be a Solution?”, explores the identity formation and sense of belonging among adults who spent their formative years living across cultures.
“I chose Royal Roads University’s Doctor of Business Administration program because of its strong focus on both theory and practice,” said Dr. Lyons. “When I began this journey, I knew, because of my missions background, that I wanted my research to focus on adults who have lived mobile, cross-cultural lives before the age of 18. Going forward, I intend to develop materials for a variety of audiences which I hope will be a blessing to many.”
Using a Narrative Inquiry methodology, Dr. Lyons conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 25 ATCKs, ranging in age from 18 to nearly 80. Participants came from diverse cross-cultural backgrounds, including military families, diplomatic corps, missionary communities, and international business environments. Through this qualitative analysis, she developed a signature contribution to the field: the Spiritual Self-Leadership model.
This innovative model not only addresses the unique challenges faced by ATCKs but also offers valuable insights for organizational leaders and professionals across sectors. It provides a framework for nurturing one’s inner life and enabling spiritual self-leadership, while also fostering environments that support others in doing the same.
Dr. Lyons’ work is a powerful reminder of the transformative potential of applied research in addressing complex human experiences. Her dissertation stands as a testament to the quality and impact of research produced within the Doctor of Business Administration program at Royal Roads University.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Shelly Lyons on this remarkable achievement!
