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At UL Lafayette’s Summer 2024 Commencement, Denise Mallard walked across the stage wearing a graduation cap decorated with gold butterflies and pastel flowers. 

“I wanted to give up, but I remembered what God said. M.Ed. 2024,” it read. 

Like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon or a flower blossoming at the start of spring, Mallard’s career as an educator is just beginning.

Mallard worked in health care administration and human resources for nearly 20 years before abruptly losing her job a few years ago.

“Because of my schedule with taking care of my children, the organization I was with let me go,” she says. “I lost almost everything, including my car.”

Left with few choices, Mallard got a job as a substitute teacher at her children’s school, walking with them to and from school each day.

That temporary role eventually turned into a long-term substitute teaching job. And with that, Mallard decided to go all in and earn her teaching certificate through an alternative certification program.

But she didn’t want her educational journey to end there. 

So, she enrolled in school again, this time in UL Lafayette’s online M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction program. 

Finding Success Through Community 

Mallard considered several online M.Ed. programs, ultimately choosing UL Lafayette’s for its curriculum, which includes social justice and legal courses like EDCI 570: Diversity for the Progressive Educator and EDCI 572: Current Issues in K-12 Instruction Practicum. 

“I wanted to focus not just on what I need to do in the classroom, but also beyond that,” Mallard says. “I always knew representation was important, but to be able to learn about it in class really made a difference for me.” 

The program’s value went far beyond its unique curriculum for Mallard. 

Mallard developed a particularly close relationship with her advisor, Dr. Natalie Keefer, associate professor and graduate program coordinator. 

At one point during one of Dr. Keefer’s courses, Mallard was overwhelmed and unsure of what to do for a paper. 

“I usually don’t ask for help or tell people I’m struggling, but I sent Dr. Keefer an email laying it all out that I was overwhelmed,” she says. “Almost instantly, Dr. Keefer responded asking for my phone number and called me to calm me down and walk through my paper with me. I’ve never had an instructor do that with me, ever. It was such a blessing.” 

Mallard also developed a strong connection with her classmates, exchanging phone numbers and creating a group chat with them to lean on each other for both personal and academic support. 

“Even though it was all online, we found community,” she says. “We were constantly helping each other and encouraging each other through our problems, whether it was stress about a paper or stuff going on in our personal lives. We were there for each other.” 

Support from faculty and peers, as well as her own determination, helped Mallard thrive in the program. 

She maintained a 4.0 GPA, earning recognition at the ŷ������Ƭ’s Honors Convocation and induction into Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. 

Making an Impact 

Despite being only a few years into her career as an educator, Mallard has already made an impact. 

Recently, she started a part-time position as an instructional coach, working for the same program through which she earned her teaching certification. 

This year, she was named in Baton Rouge, where she teaches 6th and 7th grade science. 

“The M.Ed. program gave me confidence and made me feel like I have a voice,” Mallard says. “Now, whenever there’s a new law passed or a new policy in my district, I have the tools to look it up for myself and interpret it and be an advocate for myself and other teachers.” 

And there’s still more Mallard hopes to accomplish. Her major goal is to open a domestic violence center and shelter with an education component for students who have dealt with abuse in the home. A survivor of domestic violence herself, she understands the value of using education to overcome challenges. 

“My ex-husband tried his hardest to keep me from getting my education and from gaining the power that comes with having an education,” she says. “I fight hard for my education, and I want to bring that to other men and women and children and let them know that they can gain power and autonomy through education.” 

Her advice to her peers? Just go after it. 

“You keep looking for the right time, but the right time will never come,” she says. “Step outside of your box and your comfort zone to do something for yourself. You deserve it.” 

Prepare for the next step in your career in education through our online M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction. Learn more today! 

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