I had followed some friends who were enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW), but had no interest in attending myself. Coming from a low-income background, I thought going to college was something only rich kids did.

I continued working as a waitress for several years. I made a lot of friends and had a lot of fun, but remained unsatisfied with my life overall. One day, at the age of twenty-six, while at work I had a revelation. I suddenly imagined myself in my sixties, still waiting tables and living hand to mouth.

Although I had little formal education, I am a voracious reader. I enjoyed having long debates with my friends about philosophy, religion, politics, and current events. It occurred to me that I was wasting my intellect, and with enough determination, I could find a way to afford an education. It was a scary proposition, but I knew time was marching on. I would be thirty in four years no matter what I did. I could choose to be thirty and in the same place, or thirty with a college degree. I chose the degree.

I enrolled at Cape Fear Community College, unsure of the career I wanted, but eager to explore the possibilities. Once enrolled, I realized I had found my niche. I had quit high school because it was boring. Now I loved my classes and looked forward to going to school each day. I had wonderful instructors who inspired me and served as role models. After graduation, I transferred to UNCW and earned a degree in Communications.

I applied to the East Carolina University (ECU) Master of Library Science program because of my love of books. Once there, I became captivated by computers and the (relatively) new possibilities of the Internet. I changed my major to Master of Arts in Education, Instructional Technology.

While in this program, I worked as a graduate assistant planning and hosting an annual teaching with technology conference aimed at K-12 teachers. My work in class and on the conference cemented my love for education and the enrichment that technology can add.

Upon graduation, I accepted a job as a computer instructor at the community college in my home town. I started teaching college classes at a local high school as part of our dual enrollment program. A little more than a year later, I was promoted to Curriculum Coordinator of Internet Technologies (now called Web Technologies) and began teaching on-campus.

Shortly afterwards, I heard of a new Doctoral program being offered at ECU in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education. I knew first-hand what a difference an education can make in a person's quality of life. Education had turned my life around, and as an instructor, I was able to help others do the same. After becoming an administrator, I saw that there were even more opportunities to help others by suggesting and implementing program and institution-level improvements. I enrolled in the EdD program in the fall of 2003.

I graduated in December of 2006. My dissertation was entitled, "The Non-Traditional President: A Comparison of Activities, Concerns, and Goals". In it I compared national survey data of college presidents who followed the traditional route (faculty, chair, dean, vice-president, president) with those who had not. During this same period, departmental reorganization at the college where I work led me to become supervisor of a second curriculum, Computer Information Technologies. As such, I was responsible for both of the computer-related Associate Degree programs offered by the college.

I had developed and taught courses in HTML, CSS, scripting languages, programming languages, graphics, multimedia, customer service, and computer diagnostics and repair. Most of these classes were taught online.

Between my formal education and my on-the-job experiences, I felt fully prepared for a position in distance learning. I have the computer skills of a technician, along with the pedagogical knowledge and experience of an EdD recipient. It is this unique combination that allows me the ablity to apply technology appropriately to both online and traditional education.

I accepted a position with Savannah College of Art and Design's eLearning department as an instructional designer. As such, I work with subject matter experts (faculty) to develop courses in interactive design, sequential art, and interior design.

I am also a Teaching Assistant Professor for East Carolina University's College of Education. I developed the master course for EDTC 4001 Teaching with Technology, which is offered in over 10 sections per semester. I currently teach three sections from my home in Savannah, GA.

I enjoy both these positions and look forward to using my education and experience to advance to the next level.