Since before my mind started collecting memories, my family began to instill in me the value of an excellent education. Having been raised by Italian immigrant grandparents and a single mom with a high school diploma, I have personally experienced the impact of a quality education on the trajectory of one’s life. My family worked tirelessly to ensure that I had access to the education they never did, and in doing so, imparted to me the principles of hard work and determination. Thus began a life-long and ever-evolving passion within me: to ensure that all individuals are afforded the quality education that they deserve. In pursuit of this objective, I began the path towards obtaining a master’s degree in Educational Technology during the summer of 2016 so that I could further my impact, specifically through the avenue of instructional design.
 

I began my career in education as a middle school science teacher through Teach for America. Within the walls of Homestead Middle School’s room 204, my love for the facets of curriculum design began. From there, I would go on to lead my peers as a curriculum specialist and coach before moving into the field of instructional design and eLearning. I spent years learning the principles of the field by reading, attaching myself to knowledgeable mentors, attending industry conferences, becoming a member of industry organizations, and offering to take leadership roles in projects and tasks.
 

My impact and focus in education is constantly evolving. Key to that evolution is, ironically, education. Obtaining a master’s degree was essential to maintaining and amplifying my impact beyond just the students that are within my purview. Throughout the master’s degree program, I decided that I wanted to expand my impact by creating materials and sharing resources with other instructional designers, and by using my knowledge to expand my role as the Instructional Designer for the Edmon Low Library. I identified two areas in which I wanted to become more knowledgeable: utilizing technology to assist undergraduate students in becoming information literate, and using the technology of learning analytics to continuously improve the effectiveness of eLearning and open educational resources (OER). With the knowledge I gained through my master’s degree, I have accomplished my goals and have shared my knowledge through conference presentations, trainings, writings for professional organizations, and writings for books.
 

As I continue to pursue my life-long goal, I feel an extreme sense of pride and excitement at the possibilities the future may hold. There is much that I do not know, but the Oklahoma State University Educational Technology department has offered me myriad invaluable opportunities. Educational “technology” is not a new thing. Rather, it is a constantly evolving landscape of tools that we can purposefully use to lead students in learning. I feel prepared to take on new challenges that will further educational opportunities for students. My life has been an ever-evolving journey towards better education for all, and I am looking forward to expanding my impact in this pursuit.