Mastering Her Future

Looking to advance her education and open new doors, Abby Davis ’25 MSEd was drawn to the master’s program at Mount Mercy University.  

Prior to getting her master’s, Abby received her Bachelor of Arts in elementary education at the University of Iowa with endorsements in reading (K-8) and ELL (English Language Learner, K-12). Directly after she graduated in 2020, she was hired at Garfield Elementary in Cedar Rapids where she was an ELL, kindergarten, and first and second grade teacher for four years.  

Going on her fifth year now, she currently works at Trailside Elementary, which is a combination of two of the oldest schools in the Cedar Rapids Community School District, Garfield being one of them. Although Abby has only worked at Trailside for a year, she’s enjoyed every second—from the hardworking staff always looking to do what’s best for the kids to the diverse population of students that she learns from every day.  

Trailside Elementary has given her the opportunity to support and encourage students while also fostering relationships that extend far beyond the classroom.  

Going back to July of 2023, Abby decided that she was ready to further her own education and set off to get her master’s at Mount Mercy. What drew her to MMU was the discounted tuition, the proximity to where she was teaching, and lastly, the program was entirely online which was very appealing considering she had just had a baby.  

“The flexibility that came with having classes online made it a lot easier to be a grad student at Mount Mercy while also attending to my newborn and being a full-time teacher,” she explained.  

It takes a lot to juggle everything Abby had to juggle, but she credits Mount Mercy and the village of people around her for the constant support and encouragement while she was in the program.  

Over the course of pursuing her master’s, Abby nearly doubled her professional network. She specifically mentions Dr. Dawn Behan, Director of Graduate Education Programs, professor, and her graduate advisor, who helped her find success and grow professionally.  

“I know I can personally call upon any of my professors or colleagues from this program when I have a question or need some guidance,” she explained. “We have created relationships that will last long past our coursework in this program.”

At Trailside, Abby has taken on multiple roles. She’s a kindergarten teacher, the PBIS tier one leader, and is also on the leadership team. Before she completed her master’s, a lot of these positions were already set in place. Completing her master’s degree has helped Abby be more effective in these positions whether that’s communicating with people on those leadership teams or advocating for various needs.  

“The master’s program has really just helped me grow professionally in ways that I can continue to lead and practice the skills I already had developed,” Abby said. 

With the knowledge and expertise she has gained from the master’s program, Abby is ready to take the next step in her career and says she hopes to eventually become an instructional coach or principal.  

For anyone looking to pursue their master’s degree with Mount Mercy, Abby said this:  

“Lean on the people in the program, don’t be afraid to ask for help, and make connections with both your peers and professors because those are going to be the people that you will lean on in the future.”