Rachel Hulsey recently appeared on a podcast run by UW–Madison’s Alissa Oleck, the assistant dean for professional degrees and certificates, to talk about the School of Education’s MS in Educational Psychology: Professional Educators (MSPE) program.
Hulsey is graduating in May from MSPE, and previously earned a BS in elementary education from the School of Education’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction in 2000.
The episode, titled “Balancing Work, Family, and School (Flexibility of Online Learning),” looks at the MSPE program as a virtual education option for graduate students at UW–Madison.
“People are increasingly looking to online learning to meet their educational goals, without needing to commute or relocate for school,” Oleck says.
Lisa Hebgen, the director of the MSPE program, introduces the program and Hulsey in the podcast.
“Rachel is a full-time elementary school teacher, she has three wonderful children, and she is one of the most inspiring educators I’ve met,” Hebgen says. She adds that the two-year program is cohort based, “convenient, and application focused.”
Hulsey says: “I’m a proud Badger at heart, so it was an easy choice for me to select the MSPE program. … In addition to excellent quality in a highly ranked school, it’s also an online format, which I knew would help me to be successful.”
“I found that through the coursework and some of our online courses this semester, it was actually very easy to connect with people because when you’re in an online space together, it never feels forced,” Hulsey adds.
Hulsey says that the MSPE program has been the perfect fit for her, as its online and flexible format fits with her lifestyle.
“I juggle mom life, I juggle teacher life, and as of the last couple years, I’ve also juggled graduate school life,” she says.
Listen to the full episode.