Embracing flexibility

Katie Thul ’23 MAEd, ’25 MSEd knew that pursuing her master's degree online would provide her the flexibility needed to learn how to be the best possible leader and teacher for her school district.

When Katie received a role as a Professional Learning Community Coordinator, she was stepping up to lead six colleagues. She wanted to learn how to do this effectively, which led her to Mount Mercy University’s Master of Arts in Education program.

Katie hoped receiving her degree would help her reach her goals, and choosing Mount Mercy to help her achieve her dreams was a no-brainer.

“As a teacher, the ability to move up in pay and roles with a master’s was a big push for me to do it,” said Katie. “I picked Mount Mercy because my friends who have been in the program loved their professors and classes.”

Pursuing her master's in teacher leadership gave her the confidence to uphold her position to the best of her abilities.

“This degree has helped me be a better PLC Coordinator by learning about different leadership styles and censoring data,” said Katie.

In addition to building her leadership skills, Katie wanted to become a better teacher. COVID-19 hit during Katie’s final year in her undergraduate program, which interrupted her ability to student teach. Jumping into a teaching position without applying the skills beforehand was difficult; her master’s allowed her to build on her skills.

“The main thing I hoped to accomplish by receiving this master's degree was learning how to be
a better teacher for myself and my students,” said Katie.

Katie loved receiving her first master’s from Mount Mercy, so she returned for a second round to participate in the new Master of Science in Education program because she wanted to go into administration. The program has a PreK-12 Principal endorsement built into the curriculum.

Being able to pursue her degrees in a compact five- and ten-week online course made it so that Katie didn’t have to sacrifice any of her priorities.

Learning online allowed Katie to continue to teach at The Point School of Dance, coach for Marion Varsity Poms, teach at Francis Marion Intermediate, volunteer, and babysit.

“Having class online made balancing all my commitments so much easier,” said Katie. “The flexibility part has been a huge benefit for me.”

The setup of her classes allowed her to work around her schedule and manage her time better. She enjoyed working at her own pace while having soft guidelines for due dates.

Although it can be hard to create connections online, Katie and her classmates had no problems
bonding.

“My classmates and I pushed to form relationships outside of seeing each other virtually,” said Katie. “Right away, we created group chats and hangouts to help us connect and feel like a part of a community.”

Putting intentional effort into creating these connections made her friendships more meaningful and special. Katie is now best friends with those she met virtually.

“I couldn’t imagine my life without the classmates I connected with online,” said Katie.

Not only did Katie connect with others in her class, but she made significant relationships with her professors. Katie had a positive experience with Dawn Behan and Nick Duffy.

“Dawn was a people person who cared about my life outside of the program, and she was always willing to adjust our meeting times to fit it into my schedule,” said Katie.

“They both have made a big impact on me outside of the program and have stuck with me beyond my classes,” said Katie.