Janet Williams knew she could be an even better teacher to her fourth grade students. Through UA Online’s Educational Specialist in Elementary Educationprogram, she found the path to her legacy.
A nontraditional student from the start, Janet Williams was no stranger to online education from her home in Woodstock, Georgia. At 30, she earned her bachelor’s at a Mercer University satellite campus; at 40, she earned her master’s online with Walden University and returned for her gifted endorsement shortly after.
And yet, when Janet spoke with teachers in her school who had graduated from other programs, she felt her own education was still falling short of her greater goal.
“I wanted to make sure that I am the best teacher that those kids could have. I went through my master’s, and it really didn’t teach me a whole lot. I still wanted something that was going to enrich my teaching that I could really use in the classroom.”
Janet set to work, prepared to dig in to heavy research to find which program was going to get her there. She typed “top colleges for education specialist programs online” into her search engine, and her hunt was over as quickly as it had begun. The University of Alabama Online EdS program was the first listed.
“It clicked for me. I thought, ‘I’m going to do this right and with a notable school that really makes a statement.’”
The move to an SEC university was bigger than Janet’s vision for herself; it was an experience her father had dreamed of for her.
“I asked my dad, ‘How would you feel about watching me graduate from The University of Alabama?’ And my dad said, ‘That would be incredible!’ He had some health problems, so I said, ‘Now, Dad, it's going to take me a year and a half to do this. You have to make sure you see me graduate.’ His nickname for me was ‘Rippa.’ He said, ‘Okay, Rippa. I'll be there.’”
Their deal struck, Janet dove into her online classes, soaking up knowledge and opportunities as she went through the coursework.
“Through the classes in Alabama, I learned the most about education and teaching, and I could apply it straight into my classroom. I learned not only from my professors, but also from the people I was in class with. We had people in our class from all over the United States. It was very interesting to hear how things worked in their state with their reading strategies, what kind of programs they used and how they implemented their strategies. That was very helpful.”
With her motivation to be the best for her students, Janet’s dedication paid off. She was graduating with honors and a greater confidence she hadn’t anticipated.
“It just got into my blood. It changed me to be a part of such a notable SEC school. I remember one of my professors told me, ‘When you walk across that stage, you can take credit with everything that is associated with The University of Alabama, because you’re a graduate.’”
With her part of the bargain kept, Janet’s dad kept his.
“I graduated May 1, 2021, and my dad passed away in January 2022. He saw me graduate.”
In a proud, bittersweet transition, Janet is passing the torch to her daughter, who will be attending UA as a freshman in the fall. It’s a legacy Janet is excited to share.
“You can do anything you put your mind to. It doesn't matter how old or how young you are. There's no age limit on what you can and can't do; you've got the ability to do it all. That's what I try to pass on to my kids in my classroom.”
Master your next move with The University of Alabama Online. Visit online.ua.edu.
