story by Claire Miller
In Amanda Lynch’s first semester in the educational leadership master’s program, she remembers joining some of her classmates at a local café to divide up responsibilities and set deadlines for a group project they’d been assigned.
“The memory of the meeting stands out in my mind not because of the meeting itself, but rather because it represents so much of what I came to value most about the program – building new relationships and engaging in meaningful discourse that challenged and grew my thinking,” she said.
Lynch, who graduates this spring and was recently named the new assessment coordinator for Fulton County Schools, initially applied to the master’s program to ensure she was prepared for her burgeoning career in educational leadership.
Her new role in Fulton County will require her to lead a team of people who evaluate, develop and improve the school system’s assessments and assessment practices. And the educational leadership program provided a good mix of theoretical concepts and practical experience that she’ll be able to apply in the coming school year.
Lynch also appreciates the relationships she built with her fellow students and the College of Education & Human Development faculty, which she says are key to success in graduate school.
“I learned so much by interacting with my classmates from diverse backgrounds, districts, and work and life experiences,” she said. “I know I have built meaningful friendships and networks that will continue to support me.”