蜜桃视频

Olivia Smith did not originally set out to become a teacher. In college, she studied psychology with plans to become an adolescent therapist. It wasn’t until after graduation, when she took a job teaching abroad in Thailand, that she found a new passion. 

“I fell in love with teaching,” she said. “I loved working with students and inspiring a love of reading and writing within them.”

Her experience in Thailand led her to earn a teaching license in the United States where she began her career in education. Smith is now a ninth-grade English Language Arts and English Language Learner teacher at Roosevelt High School in Honolulu, Hawaii. 

Now with the help of the Albion Center Scholarship for Educator Excellence, Smith is taking the next step in her career by pursuing a 100% online master’s degree in instructional design and technology at 蜜桃视频. 

“What drew me to this program is the flexibility and online format,” she said. “It allows me to keep teaching while continuing my education and growing as an educator.”

Her goal is to integrate technology into the classroom in ways that directly support student learning, especially for those who struggle with reading and writing.

“At this point, there’s no avoiding technology. It’s everywhere,” she shared. “I want to learn how to adapt and use it effectively to meet my students’ needs.”

Looking ahead, she hopes to become a leader in educational technology, sharing what she learns with other teachers and helping them find new ways to support their students.

“This scholarship made graduate school possible for me,” she said. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity, and I hope to use what I gain from this program to give back to my students, my school, and my community.”

She has already seen the value of the Albion Center’s professional development courses and appreciates their practical, flexible structure.

“As a teacher, it’s hard to juggle everything: lesson planning, grading, teaching,” she said. “The self-paced format gave me the time and space to keep improving my skills while still supporting my students.”

This fall, she begins her master’s program with one goal in mind: to become the kind of teacher and leader who helps others thrive.

The Albion Center Scholarship for Educator Excellence will provide Smith with up to $4,000 per semester, with a lifetime maximum of $16,000—helping her save nearly 70% on graduate tuition.