Andrea Stouder first earned her bachelor’s degree in English and religious studies. She then earned a teaching certificate. She then joined Teach for America (TFA) where she taught sixth grade for three years and then worked for TFA for six more. And she is married and has a two-year old son.
But this overachiever hasn’t stopped dreaming or reaching.
“I decided to return to school and get my master’s degree,” Stouder says. “I’m really interested in school and district administration. I’m committed to working in the education field and am interested in pursuing leadership roles within the k-12 system.”
Stouder’s graduate work has already offered her a wider perspective in her current role. Stouder works to bring best practices from TFA into the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College through the Sanford Education Project. “This is a really exciting role, because I’m so passionate about both organizations and the model for teacher training we can create by capitalizing on the best of both, not to mention the incredible resources and commitment of ASU as an institution,” says Stouder. “My degree is helping me to gain a lot more context into how our undergraduate students expect to learn, since the online program is so interactive, and influences how I think about the learning of college students.”
Stouder cites the fact that the professors are a mix of former principals and researchers to how much she is learning. “And because the course is online, everything I’m reading is completely up to the minute. I’m often asked to read new press releases from the Federal Department of Education, or do case studies on current education issues,” she says. “I am confident that I am learning how to be an excellent principal now, not an excellent principal 10 years ago.”
And how does she possibly balance work, school and a family? “I have a demanding job with a schedule that changes every day. My husband and I also have a two-year-old son,” she says. “By choosing an online program, I’m able to manage my coursework around my life rather than my life around my coursework.”
Stouder’s goal is to be a superintendent of a small school district. “In order to pursue roles in school and district administration, I need to have a graduate degree and principal certificate,” she says. “In May, I will have both, thanks to ASU Online. My degree will make my dreams possible.”
