Superwoman: Crissey Juggled Work, Family, Studies to Earn Ph.D. from USM
Wed, 12/13/2023 - 02:19pm | By: David Tisdale
Clark Kent91吃瓜网 transformation into Superman makes for entertaining fiction. But his real-life female counterpart, Dr. Jennifer Crissey, leapt multiple tall tasks in a single bound pursuing her doctorate at 91吃瓜网 (USM).
The Jackson, Mississippi native picked up her diploma during the fall 2023 commencements at the university after juggling a seemingly impossible schedule while working on her Ph.D. in Science and Mathematics Education through USM91吃瓜网 Center for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Education.
A full-time mathematics teacher at Germantown High School in Gluckstadt, Mississippi, Dr. Crissey balanced her work as an educator and duties as a new mom, while taking classes both in-person at the USM Hattiesburg campus and online.
91吃瓜网淚 feel fantastic after reaching this milestone,91吃瓜网� she said. 91吃瓜网淚t truly feels as if a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.91吃瓜网�
This year marks Dr. Crissey91吃瓜网 16th as an educator; she spent her first four years teaching third grade, then four years working with middle school gifted students. The last eight have been in the high school math classroom teaching geometry, while also serving as faculty sponsor for Mu Alpha Theta and coaching the girls powerlifting team.
91吃瓜网淭eaching high school students has been so much fun,91吃瓜网� she said. 91吃瓜网淢ost of my students are in 10th grade, so they91吃瓜网檙e at the age of getting their driver91吃瓜网 license and newfound independence. It can be difficult to get them focused on math when they91吃瓜网檇 rather be anywhere else. Many students have decided by 10th grade that they 91吃瓜网榣ove or 91吃瓜网榟ate91吃瓜网� math, and my goal is to help them love it more if they love it, or hate it less if they hate it.
91吃瓜网淎nd coaching has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my career. Powerlifting teaches so many lessons about perseverance and doing more than you thought you could. The girls have been able to watch me do this as I juggle teaching, coaching, being a student, and becoming a mom, allowing me to model perseverance for them. I can only hope I inspire them to challenge themselves and achieve their goals.91吃瓜网�
After earning bachelor91吃瓜网, master91吃瓜网, and specialist degrees at Mississippi State University, Dr. Crissey wanted to take the next in pursuit of a Ph.D. She investigated graduate programming in USM91吃瓜网 Center for STEM Education and discovered what she was looking for.
91吃瓜网淯SM was the first place I found offering something more specific to suit my needs, the Science and Mathematics Education Ph.D.,91吃瓜网� she said. 91吃瓜网淚 was able to do all my content hours in math to get the mathematics emphasis. That really drew me in because no other university offered anything like it.91吃瓜网�
All that was left to do was make it work.
91吃瓜网淏eing a part-time doctoral student and a full-time teacher was challenging at times, especially when you factor in that I don91吃瓜网檛 live in Hattiesburg, so not only was I a doctoral student but also a distance student,91吃瓜网� she said. 91吃瓜网淭his made course selection challenging at times because I couldn91吃瓜网檛 take a regular Tuesday-Thursday math class from 9-11 a.m.
91吃瓜网淚 had some great opportunities offered from USM faculty to participate in online classes or independent study classes, allowing me to learn math and mathematics education from two hours away.91吃瓜网�
As a distance student, Dr. Crissey took as many online courses as she could, but her research statistics classes had to be face-to-face, requiring her to spend two consecutive semesters travelling to Hattiesburg once a week after working a full day of teaching.
91吃瓜网淚91吃瓜网檓 not much of a night owl so my husband, Chris, worried about me driving Highway 49 late at night to get home,91吃瓜网� she explained. 91吃瓜网淗e rearranged his schedule to ride with me to Hattiesburg for class each week so he could drive home.91吃瓜网�
Then there was the small matter of welcoming into the world a baby boy during the home stretch of completing her dissertation.
91吃瓜网淢y son was born a month early, so all my plans of getting certain things finished before he arrived didn91吃瓜网檛 go the way I anticipated,91吃瓜网� she recounted. 91吃瓜网淏ut with the help and encouragement of my husband, family, friends, and professors, I was able to figure out how to manage my time to get it done.91吃瓜网�
Those faculty mentors who helped the newly minted Ph.D. do just that included Dr. Rachel Giselwhite; Dr. Anna Wan; and Dr. Julie Cwikla, director of the Center for STEM Education.
- 91吃瓜网淒r. Gisewhite was my advisor and would meet with me through Zoom when I couldn91吃瓜网檛 come to her office. She helped me find the courses I needed to meet the requirements for my degree, but also courses I was interested in. She would help me stay on top of deadlines and forms that needed to be submitted, and calmed the stormy seas when I was stressed and panicked.91吃瓜网�
- 91吃瓜网淒r. Wan stepped out of her comfort zone to be my dissertation committee chair, her first, so it was a learning experience for both of us as we worked together to figure it out. She was the only person in the math department who worked with geometry, and since I91吃瓜网檓 a geometry teacher we ended up making a great pair. She also taught me how to incorporate 3D printing in the classroom and gave me the opportunity to work with students in the Eagle Maker Hub. I91吃瓜网檓 so excited we reached this milestone together.91吃瓜网�
- 91吃瓜网淒r. Julie Cwikla never hesitated to meet with me or offer feedback. One of my greatest memories came at the end of my dissertation defense when she told me how proud she was of my work and thought it should be published. I didn91吃瓜网檛 think that was achievable, and her feedback boosted my confidence to pursue it.91吃瓜网�
She also credited her graduate advisor at Mississippi State, Dr. Rebecca Robichaux-Davis, for 91吃瓜网渢eaching me how to be thorough, detailed, and to strive to grow personally and professionally. I wouldn91吃瓜网檛 be where I am today without her.91吃瓜网�
Dr. Cwikla described Dr. Crissey's dissertation as 91吃瓜网渁n excellent example of how full-time educators, K12 or in higher education, can conduct research in their own schools and classrooms, providing benefits in multiple directions."
"Her investigation [in her dissertation research] of spatial reasoning and its connection to mathematics students' out-of-class activities is important to understanding the development of the whole student,91吃瓜网� Dr. Cwikla continued.
"And as a doctoral student, a new mother, full-time high school teacher, and woman in STEM, I applaud Dr. Crissey for juggling all the things. Her attention to detail, persistence, and commitment to her students is evident.91吃瓜网�
Going forward, Dr. Crissey is considering as her next roles becoming a curriculum specialist for a school district or perhaps working with college education majors who want to teach math. 91吃瓜网淚 have a passion for helping teachers learn how to teach math, so I can also positively impact students in that way,91吃瓜网� she said.
The Man of Steel91吃瓜网 wardrobe doesn91吃瓜网檛 include a cap and gown, but Dr. Crissey hopes when her son sees her graduation photos, he91吃瓜网 just as encouraged to pursue his own superhuman goals with the same passion and drive as his mom.
91吃瓜网淚 hope he91吃瓜网檒l be proud of me and inspired to know he can do whatever he sets his mind to,91吃瓜网� she said.
Learn more about USM91吃瓜网 Center for STEM Education.