Mother of 6, Army wife finds flexibility in online Ph.D. program
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 24, 2022) — For Amy O’Neill, finding a Ph.D. program that fit her unique lifestyle was key. She, her active-duty Army husband and their six children move around very frequently.
“In 20 years, we’ve moved 13 times (I think, it’s hard to keep track). In fact, I’ve lived in three states since I began the program,” O’Neill said. “I knew I wanted a program that could be flexible — as far as location was concerned.”
That is where the University of Kentucky’s online Educational Leadership Ph.D. (EDL) program, housed in the College of Education, came in.
“I didn’t really want to do a completely online doctorate. I wanted to feel connected to my university and to my cohort, and I wanted the faculty support that comes from having an in-person component,” O’Neill said. “The EDL program at UK is perfect for me — the primary mode of delivery is online, but there is also an in-person component through the yearly ‘Doc Week’ in the summer.
Teaching is O’Neill’s second career, following several years in the Army as an engineer and a tour in Iraq. It was only fitting her dissertation research is centered around how effective teachers believe they are at meeting the unique needs of military-connected children.
“Although military-connected children experience some of the same challenges as other vulnerable populations, they are unique in that they experience so many significant challenges — such as family instability, trauma and geographic mobility — simultaneously and repeatedly,” O’Neill explained. “Most military-connected children move six to nine times between kindergarten and 12th grade, which is three times more than their non-military peers. All of those moves means military children change schools a lot. Besides having to make new friends again, moving also means different states with different curriculum standards, trying out over again for the same sport you just played at your old school and having to wait to enroll in courses until records are transferred. For students with disabilities, the challenges are even greater.”
O’Neill’s research isn’t just her passion, it’s personal.
“As a veteran, a military spouse, a mom and a teacher, I think I’m pretty uniquely positioned to conduct this work. I like to say that I didn’t pick my research — it was kind of here waiting for me all along,” she said. “The challenges that come from changing schools so many times are very near to my heart.”
O’Neill is currently a fifth-grade teacher in Virginia, near D.C. With the help of her Ph.D., she hopes to explore a future in educational leadership.
“My area of concentration in this program is the superintendency, and although I don’t have any aspirations toward being a superintendent any time soon, I do believe I will be a better principal because of the courses I have taken in that area,” O’Neill said. “Additionally, by the time I graduate, I will be able to say that I have conducted original research in the field of education. If I ever pursue a career in higher education, this is something that will be a huge benefit.”
This past year, O’Neill was selected as a Clark Scholar. The program, sponsored by the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA), recognizes doctoral students in PK-12 educational leadership and administration and/or PK-16 education policy.
She credits UK, and supportive faculty members, with her success.
“The EDL faculty at UK are all just incredible. They are brilliant, professional and truly want every student to be successful in their doctoral journey. I am so lucky to have had many wonderful professors while at UK; including Mary John O’Hair, Lars Bjork, John Nash, Lu Young, Amanda Potterton and Dean Julian Vasquez Heilig,” O’Neill said. “But, I really want to give praise for Beth Rous. She has guided me since my very first class at UK. She is an exceptional educator, mentor and researcher. Her professionalism, kindness and encouragement have kept me moving forward in this program, and I’m so lucky to get to learn with and from her.”
For more information on UK’s online degree programs, click here.
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