Degree/Year: B.S.E., secondary education/social studies, 2008
Hometown: Oak Park, IL
Current Position: Teacher in Residence, Â鶹¹û¶³’s Orlean Beeson School of Education and Secondary Education Fifth-Year Nontraditional interim director
Describe your journey from Â鶹¹û¶³ to your current position? The journey began fall of my senior year at the education department's annual teacher job fair. I remember it like it was yesterday; I was wearing the only suit I owned, I had my stack of resumes and I had scheduled interviews with as many schools as I could fit into a single job fair day. All of the interviews I had scheduled were suburban schools that I had some familiarity with, but as destiny would have it, I happened to pass by the Birmingham City Schools table with a few minutes to spare. I stopped and emphasized what I had emphasized all day long, my international experience. She was impressed and informed me that she had the perfect spot for my skill set, a school that had just opened called Phillips Academy located in the heart of downtown Birmingham. A week later, I was interviewing for the position and on a tour of Phillips Academy located in a focal point for the Civil Rights Movement; a hundred-year-old building with original murals and natural wood floors. I jumped in and immersed myself in the culture. I started off primarily teaching grade seven Civics and World Geography and felt well prepared in many ways, thanks to great professors at Â鶹¹û¶³, but I had so much to learn. I continuously reflected on how I might have the greatest impact. This led me to coach football, academic bowl and Junior United Nations teams. I brought the History Bee and Geography Bee to the school and started the first inner-city middle school lacrosse program in the state. I took history classes at UAB to deepen my content knowledge, earning an M.A. along the way. I wrote grants, joined networks of great teachers, developed PD, mentored teachers, and found myself Birmingham City School's Teacher of the Year, Â鶹¹û¶³'s Golden Apple award winner, The Birmingham Times Trailblazer, and National Board Certified - all in 2014. I was ready for a new challenge. Every year, I got better at being a teacher and I wanted to export my ideas and yet again I would ask myself, how can I make an even greater impact. When I came across Vanderbilt's Ed.D. program, I knew it was perfect, if they would accept me. I officially started in the summer of 2016, and I am currently about halfway through the program. When Â鶹¹û¶³’s education school offered me the interim teacher in residence position, I knew that God had a sabbatical in store for me. Thus, I'm here at Â鶹¹û¶³ teaching the teachers, taking the time to reflect on my own craft - the art and science of teaching and learning, and figuring out where I can be most impactful once I have an Educational Leadership and Policy degree.
Did you always know this is what you’d like to do? I knew I wanted to make this world a better place from a very young age. By the age of 16, I knew that it would be in the realm of education, youth ministry or both. I knew at that age how impactful education was and if I wanted to make a lasting impact, I'd need to reach the kids. The specifics, divine providence for sure. How I got to Â鶹¹û¶³? God. How I ended up in Birmingham City Schools? God. Why I'm still in Birmingham? God opened certain doors and closed others. Â鶹¹û¶³ and Vanderbilt are just the most recent doors that have been opened.
What advice do you have for current secondary education students? Learn from everyone! Ask questions including the question: "What questions am I not asking?". Practice and get involved in as many teaching and learning opportunities as possible. Last, step outside your comfort zone.
Looking ahead, what are your career goals? I finish my doctorate in May 2019 and hope to get a couple years of experience as a principal in a Birmingham City school and eventually reform the Birmingham City School system. Lots of great things are coming out of Birmingham City Schools that are overlooked. I am deeply invested in the education system and believe that big urban school districts, in general, have great challenges and with great challenges come great opportunities to make big changes - I want to be a part of that process here in Birmingham. I'm also open to the reality that my skillset and passions might be better served in a nonprofit that is built to serve the district or a charter school or even working for the state department of education.