From Business Executive to Doctoral Student
Carney spent his career in the outdoor recreational products industry, owning and operating a sales and marketing agency called Derema. Having recently retired, he currently serves as an advisor to the new ownership team while pursuing his degree at CSP Global.
For professionals asking “am I too old to start a doctorate?”, Carney proves that retirement can be the perfect time to pursue academic passions.
“I’ve always been physically active and understood the importance of physical activity as a key determinant of health and wellness outcomes,” he shares.
A History of Advocacy: The Unionville Sports Council
Long before entering the doctoral program, Carney was already a community leader in fitness advocacy. He founded a 501(c)(3) organization called Unionville Sports Council (USC) to promote physical activity among students in his local school district.
The initiative began after a referendum to improve facilities was defeated by opposition groups who viewed fitness facilities as unimportant to education. Carney launched a movement to shift public opinion, arguing that sports and activity were vital contributors to student development.
His persistence paid off. His team raised over a quarter of a million dollars in under 18 months to improve physical fitness facilities. Today, the organization continues to serve the Unionville-Chadds Ford Pennsylvania school district, impacting over 4,000 students across six locations.
Why a PhD in Kinesiology? The Science of Longevity
Carney’s transition to triathlon racing sparked a deeper intellectual curiosity. During his training, he became interested in research studies linking high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness to improved long-term health.
“I learned that VO₂ max was not just for endurance athletes,” Carney explains. “Having experienced cancer myself, I was especially interested in how a higher VO₂ max helped ward off that disease, along with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and dementia.”
This personal experience inspired him to pursue a PhD to gain a deeper understanding of human physiology. Carney is leveraging the research methods curriculum at CSP Global to investigate how high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness (VO₂ max) can mitigate diseases like cancer, diabetes, and dementia in aging populations.
Joe Carney crossing the finish line at Ironman Maryland.
The CSP Experience: Personal Support in an Online World
Carney chose CSP Global after watching the webinar, “Inside Look at the EdD and PhD Dissertation Process,” which illustrated the dissertation journey. “It did not seem that just tuition money was the goal, and there was more care that was going to be given to the journey,” he recalls.
For Carney, the streamlined application process—including no GRE requirement—allowed him to focus on his research goals rather than standardized testing.
Due to his work commitments as an advisor, a traditional campus-based program was not an option. However, he found that the online doctoral program did not sacrifice connection for flexibility.
“I believe the engagement and support of the staff and faculty has been more than what I expected,” Carney says. “‘Online’ normally is regarded as impersonal, but I have been pleasantly surprised as to how ‘personal’ the interaction and experience has been so far. Concordia St. Paul wants you to learn and succeed, as long as you put the work in.”
Joe Carney completing the biking section of the Ironman Race in Maryland.
Future Goals: Researching VO₂ max and Aging
Since beginning his program, Carney has gained new perspectives on how to influence his community to be more physically active.
Looking forward, his goals are clear: “I am going to keep learning and reading, understand how to research better, and further develop my interests in helping people live a better life as they age. I also hope to keep doing Ironmans!”
Start Your Second Act
Joe Carney didn’t let retirement slow him down. He used CSP Global’s online PhD in Kinesiology to pivot from business to longevity research. Whether you are an experienced executive or a clinician, discover how our 100% online doctoral program can help you turn your passion into expertise.