“My mother had three children, and to be able to balance all that with her studies was something impressive,” Riley says. “Whenever I started to think it was too difficult to keep it all going, knowing that my mom had succeeded kept me focused on my goal.”

Riley specialized in Elementary Reading and Literacy (PreK–6) and notes that after her first class, money was no longer what motivated her. “I loved learning, being exposed to new ideas, and being challenged to improve my teaching,” she says. Riley also was inspired by the fact that she could immediately apply the information she was learning in her master’s program at Walden to her own classroom. “For a Walden class, I was able to create a Reader’s Theater Lesson in which students practice scripts to develop fluency,” she says. “I then used it for my kindergarten students. They really enjoyed acting out the characters of Mrs.Wishy-Washy’s Tub by Joy Cowley while practicing fluent reading strategies.”

In the process of learning new strategies for teaching children, Riley began to think about her own educational journey. Motivated by how Walden had enriched her life and enhanced her professional skills, Riley became intrigued with the idea of reaching out to other learners like her—adults, perhaps a bit older than traditional college students, but with plenty of life experience under their belts.

The self-confidence she’d gained from earning a master’s degree, coupled with the urging of Walden professor Dr. Mike Trapani, helped propel her into Walden’s Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program. “I called him several times and he convinced me that I could do it,” she said. “I would have never had the nerve to attempt this without his endorsement. I immediately enrolled and started before I could talk myself out of it.”

Not only has Riley achieved her initial goal of increasing her salary, she now brings a new set of teaching tools to her students, thanks to her master’s degree, and her leadership skills are improving, thanks to the Ed.D. program. “The doctorate program has helped me have the confidence to ask questions at the school level and district level, such as why I am required to teach a certain concept or why one program is better than the other.”

With the fresh course she has charted in new professional waters, Riley hopes to continue to set a positive example for her own children, as well as her students of all ages—youngsters and adults alike. “I want them to know you are never too old to learn,” she says. “I would like them to see firsthand how being organized and motivated helps a person to succeed. And I am also hoping they will learn that hard work pays off.” Above all, she said, she wants to convey “the most precious gift of all, a love of learning, that Walden has given me.” —Katherine Silberger Stewart

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