At UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 Summer 2024 Commencement, Denise Mallard walked across the stage wearing a graduation cap decorated with gold butterflies and pastel flowers.
小蝌蚪APP淚 wanted to give up, but I remembered what God said. M.Ed. 2024,小蝌蚪APP it read.
Like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon or a flower blossoming at the start of spring, Mallard小蝌蚪APP檚 career as an educator is just beginning.
Mallard worked in health care administration and human resources for nearly 20 years before abruptly losing her job a few years ago.
小蝌蚪APP淏ecause of my schedule with taking care of my children, the organization I was with let me go,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 lost almost everything, including my car.小蝌蚪APP
Left with few choices, Mallard got a job as a substitute teacher at her children小蝌蚪APP檚 school, walking with them to and from school each day.
That temporary role eventually turned into a long-term substitute teaching job. And with that, Mallard decided to go all in and earn her teaching certificate through an alternative certification program.
But she didn小蝌蚪APP檛 want her educational journey to end there.
So, she enrolled in school again, this time in UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 online M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction program.
Finding Success Through Community
Mallard considered several online M.Ed. programs, ultimately choosing UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 for its curriculum, which includes social justice and legal courses like EDCI 570: Diversity for the Progressive Educator and EDCI 572: Current Issues in K-12 Instruction Practicum.
小蝌蚪APP淚 wanted to focus not just on what I need to do in the classroom, but also beyond that,小蝌蚪APP Mallard says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 always knew representation was important, but to be able to learn about it in class really made a difference for me.小蝌蚪APP
The program小蝌蚪APP檚 value went far beyond its unique curriculum for Mallard.
Mallard developed a particularly close relationship with her advisor, Dr. Natalie Keefer, associate professor and graduate program coordinator.
At one point during one of Dr. Keefer小蝌蚪APP檚 courses, Mallard was overwhelmed and unsure of what to do for a paper.
小蝌蚪APP淚 usually don小蝌蚪APP檛 ask for help or tell people I小蝌蚪APP檓 struggling, but I sent Dr. Keefer an email laying it all out that I was overwhelmed,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淎lmost instantly, Dr. Keefer responded asking for my phone number and called me to calm me down and walk through my paper with me. I小蝌蚪APP檝e never had an instructor do that with me, ever. It was such a blessing.小蝌蚪APP
Mallard also developed a strong connection with her classmates, exchanging phone numbers and creating a group chat with them to lean on each other for both personal and academic support.
小蝌蚪APP淓ven though it was all online, we found community,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淲e were constantly helping each other and encouraging each other through our problems, whether it was stress about a paper or stuff going on in our personal lives. We were there for each other.小蝌蚪APP
Support from faculty and peers, as well as her own determination, helped Mallard thrive in the program.
She maintained a 4.0 GPA, earning recognition at the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 Honors Convocation and induction into Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.
Making an Impact
Despite being only a few years into her career as an educator, Mallard has already made an impact.
Recently, she started a part-time position as an instructional coach, working for the same program through which she earned her teaching certification.
This year, she was named in Baton Rouge, where she teaches 6th and 7th grade science.
小蝌蚪APP淭he M.Ed. program gave me confidence and made me feel like I have a voice,小蝌蚪APP Mallard says. 小蝌蚪APP淣ow, whenever there小蝌蚪APP檚 a new law passed or a new policy in my district, I have the tools to look it up for myself and interpret it and be an advocate for myself and other teachers.小蝌蚪APP
And there小蝌蚪APP檚 still more Mallard hopes to accomplish. Her major goal is to open a domestic violence center and shelter with an education component for students who have dealt with abuse in the home. A survivor of domestic violence herself, she understands the value of using education to overcome challenges.
小蝌蚪APP淢y ex-husband tried his hardest to keep me from getting my education and from gaining the power that comes with having an education,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淚 fight hard for my education, and I want to bring that to other men and women and children and let them know that they can gain power and autonomy through education.小蝌蚪APP
Her advice to her peers? Just go after it.
小蝌蚪APP淵ou keep looking for the right time, but the right time will never come,小蝌蚪APP she says. 小蝌蚪APP淪tep outside of your box and your comfort zone to do something for yourself. You deserve it.小蝌蚪APP
Prepare for the next step in your career in education through our online M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction. Learn more today!