Define Yourself By Stepping Out Of Your Comfort Zone

When Donna Druery took a leap of faith and resigned from her position as a middle school assistant principal, she was terrified. It was a big life change, but one she knew she needed.

When Druery resigned in January 2015, she was already enrolled in the Ed.D. educational administration program at Texas A&M University. She switched to the Ph.D. program and wanted to concentrate more on getting the full college experience, including attending school on more than just Saturdays and traveling for conferences.

“What I enjoy most are the opportunities to work with such a diverse, intelligent, talented group of life-long learners,” said Druery. “People who are helpful, friendly and want to see you succeed encourage me on a daily basis.”

She is now a graduate assistant with Project English Language Learners Acquisition (ELLA-V) with Dr. Beverly Irby and Dr. Rafael Lara-Alecio.

“The impact has been far reaching. I have had the opportunity to present information about my work on ELLA-V in Belize,” she explained. “I am learning more about the project and I think the process is necessary for teaching students in another language.”

Her time as a graduate student and working with ELLA-V has inspired her to step outside her comfort zone. It has helped define her.

“I was inspired with study abroad opportunities to Belize and Africa. I would like to compare and contrast the educational systems in other countries to the United States. I also hope to be a professor after graduation and I believe Texas A&M University is preparing me to do that and more.”

Druery hopes to graduate with her Ph.D. in 2017 and is ready to make an impact in the lives of other students like her professors have done for her.

“The sky is the limit and with the relationships, training and friendships I’ve developed, I feel I am being prepared for the next level.”