With years of experience in special education, Angela Brockman wanted a doctoral program that aligned with her values and her vision for leadership. Rockhurst University’s Online Ed.D. in K-12 Leadership offered the right mix of personal faculty support and a strong cohort community. Through her coursework and capstone, Angela gained the confidence and preparation to serve as an advocate for students with disabilities and lead with purpose in her role as Director of Special Education.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

My name is Angela Brockman. I'm in the online Ed.D. program, the educational doctorate. I'm getting it through Rockhurst University. I work a full-time job. I have two daughters. I have a husband. I decided at my age that I needed a program that wasn't going to take me six years to get through, and I was able to work around all of that. I have not one negative thing to say about my experience at Rockhurst. Everything was positive.

What I loved most about my time at Rockhurst was the personal time that I had with my professors. They didn't make it about them; it was about the students. The chance that I had to get to know them, they got to know me, and to get to know where I wanted to go in life. To be able to say, Angela, this is what we think you need to do and we think this is going to be beneficial to you. They had the characteristics of the kindest people.

Special education is very important to me. I decided to go the K-12 special ed route, and the longer I've been in it, the more I've been able to conceptualize the good that I'm doing and how I can help our students. Currently, I am the Director of Special Education for a school district in Ohio. Part of the reason that I was able to be hired at that position was because of the education that I'm receiving at Rockhurst.

The impact I want to make is for the world really to see that all students can learn and that all students are worthy of an education. I want to be that voice of reason because so many times students with disabilities are overlooked. I truly believe that I'm there to advocate for our students and to make them all that they can be.

We all worked so hard for this moment, and without Rockhurst, I don't know that I'd have my moment.