By Jordan Beach
Kim Fowler ‘17 always had the goal to pursue a career in education. After graduating from Reinhardt University’s Master of Arts and Teaching program, she was able to fulfill her dream of leading a classroom.
The goal to teach derived from Fowler’s family history, with most women in her family serving as educators. Her grandmother even ran the local kindergarten program in her hometown.
Fowler received her graduate degree after earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing at Georgia College & State University. Reinhardt’s program was ideal for Fowler’s goal of becoming a teacher because it allowed her to earn her degree while raising a family and working a full-time job.
“I had to get my children home after work before I could make it class, and Reinhardt was only 15 minutes from my house,” said Fowler, who was grateful for the convenient location.
Reinhardt’s faculty were an asset to Fowler, as they put her in the position she hoped to be in. Now a kindergarten teacher herself at Free Home Elementary in Canton, Fowler appreciated her professors and time at Reinhardt.
“We had a lot of great instructors and many of them were employed by Cherokee County School District, which is where I wanted to work,” she said.
The cohort setup in Reinhardt’s MAT program is a part of the experience Fowler found extremely valuable.
“Reinhardt’s master’s program puts people with different occupations into a cohort. We quickly rely on each other in our classes and really build a lasting relationship,” she said. “Our cohort still has a social media group where we share ideas or struggles in the classroom. This makes the transition from our current occupation comforting since we are in it together.”
Those valuable relationships have created an environment that gives Fowler connections with fellow teachers as she settles into her classroom.