DoDEA Archives - Ball State Online

January 31, 2023February 3, 2023

DoDEA’s Linda Curtis: “Lifelong learner, exemplary educator, motivational mentor”

When Ball State students travel overseas each year to student teach in Germany, they can applaud educator Dr. Linda Curtis, who helped open those distant classroom doors nearly 20 years ago and make the experience possible.

Representing the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), Linda was part of a planning team–including officials from Ball State, Auburn, and Florida State universities–that met in 2003 to find opportunities for their students to do student teaching on U.S. military bases throughout the world.

“I remember Ball State wanted to ensure their student interns had the best experience overseas and to connect with the military students and families,” says Linda, who, at the time, was an education program administrator for DoDEA and a Hoosier from Fort Wayne. “DoDEA had an excellent reputation just like Ball State, so it was easy to connect them.”

In the 20 years since the program launched, more than 240 Ball State student teachers have taught children of U.S. military and civilian personnel stationed on military bases, such as Ramstein, Germany, where their dependents are ready for a world-class education. Unlike many student teaching programs, Ball State education majors live and work together in the same communities and explore the host country.

“This is evidence of Ball State’s unique commitment to their students who pursue a degree in education,” says Linda, who earned special education certification for learning disabilities and emotional and behavioral disorders at Ball State.

Did You Know?
Federal employees, including DoDEA educators, may be eligible for reduced tuition for graduate school courses through Ball State’s relationship with the Federal Academic Alliance. Learn More.

Linda retired as principal deputy director and associate director of academics in 2019 after 33 years with DoDEA. “Many educators make DoDEA their career as I did because it is a way to serve our country,” she says.

Before her retirement, she managed the instructional and educational programs of DoDEA’s 166 schools which enrolled 72,000 students worldwide.

“Guiding curriculum and instruction for over 166 schools around the world had many challenges and rewards,” says Linda. “I would not say the job was easy, but it was most rewarding working with military-connected students and families as well as the many dedicated and professional teachers and administrators.”

Rachel Geesa, assistant clinical professor of educational leadership at Ball State, says Linda was a role model to her when she worked with DoDEA as a teacher and administrator in Japan.

“We were pleased to have her visit because she wanted to talk with teachers, students, families, staff, and administrators, says Rachel. “She had the desire to continue to improve the student teaching program and enhance the opportunities and partnerships that were available between DoDEA and Ball State.””

Dr. Roy Weaver, retired dean of the Teachers College and an advocate of the student teaching program, remembers a heroic move by Linda several years ago when, four days before students were to leave the country, paperwork had not been processed to clear the group’s departure.

According to Roy, Linda worked with the appropriate DoDEA personnel to process the details just in time.

“Tickets had been purchased, teaching assignments had been made, housing had been secured—all those arrangements were in place,” he says. “Without Linda’s quick response and follow-through, the students would not have been able to go, which would have been devastating,” he says.

In 2019, DoDEA created the Dr. Linda L. Curtis Educator of Promise Award to recognize one educator who demonstrated teacher leadership qualities each year. In 2020, she received a Teachers College Distinguished Service Award for her achievements.

In Rachel Geesa’s nomination letter for the award, she wrote: “Dr. Curtis is a lifelong learner, exemplary educator, powerful leader, and motivational mentor. We are grateful for her support and service to educators of military-connected students and Ball State.”

May 28, 2021July 6, 2021

DoDEA Educator Earns 4 Graduate Degrees from Halfway Across the World

As an alumna and assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Ball State University, I am confident that I made the right decision in choosing this institution to become a successful educational leader, administrator, and scholar.

I grew up in the Indianapolis area, and after graduating with my bachelor’s degree in education, I came back to the area to begin my teaching career. After a few years, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to teach at a United States Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA)-Department of Defense Dependent Schools (DoDDS) middle school on a United States Army Garrison in Seoul, South Korea. With a passion for learning and traveling overseas, I began an enlightening career of teaching military children, serving United States military families, collaborating with educators and school leaders, and expanding my knowledge of Asian cultures.

Reputable and Rigorous Online Graduate Degrees

During the latter part of my first school year in South Korea, I decided to pursue a degree and license to become a school administrator. Searches for reputable and rigorous online graduate education degrees led me to Ball State Online. I was familiar with Ball State’s reputation in Indiana and throughout the country. I was thrilled to be admitted into the Department of Educational Leadership master of arts in education in educational administration and supervision (MAE) and building-level administrator licensure programs.

The opportunity to study online at Ball State University was ideal for my situation. Although I was living on the other side of the world, I taught children with DoDEA standards. My professors at Ball State designed courses to best meet the needs of practitioner-scholars. I could do my job as a teacher each day and complete my Ball State coursework as a student during the evenings and weekends.

The coursework was relevant to my work as a teacher and emerging educational leader in the school, and I found myself wanting to take more courses and pursue more degrees. Following the end of the first year of coursework for the MAE, I began taking courses towards a master of arts in educational psychology and a gifted and talented education add-on license. The coursework was practical and relevant to my school and me. I felt rewarded by learning opportunities that I had due to guidance from professors and expectations within individual courses.

By the end of my third year as a Ball State graduate student, while living and teaching overseas, I also decided to pursue a specialist in education in educational administration and supervision (EdS) with a district-level administrator license as well as a doctor of education (EdD) in educational administration and supervision. Although my being an online doctoral student abroad was new to the Ball State faculty, every professor was extremely helpful and communicative throughout my programs.

During two years of rigorous internships for my building- and district-level administrator licenses, I had helpful and meaningful dialogue, experiences, and opportunities to learn with building- and district-level leaders. The internship projects also challenged me to focus on educational leadership in multiple aspects such as management, vision, and culture with teachers, administrators, students, and school and community stakeholders. These practices prepared me to be a more rounded and confident incoming school leader.

At the beginning of my fifth year in South Korea, I received a promotion as the assistant principal of a DoDEA middle school on a United States Naval Base in Japan. I was ready for this new challenge because of the preparation I received from my Ball State professors, particularly from the guidance of the Department of Educational Leadership faculty.

Faculty and Advisor Support Across Time Zones

While living and working in Japan for two years, I wrote my doctoral dissertation and completed all required coursework online. My dissertation chair and I met via web conference to talk about my writing progress regularly. We became accustomed to meeting late at night or early in the morning due to the time difference between Japan and Indiana.

Additionally, my doctoral advisor was always responsive and helpful when I needed additional support or had questions about my program. When I completed the EdD degree, I had the pleasure and honor of returning to Indiana from Japan to graduate and be hooded as a “Doctor” by two professors who supported me throughout the program. It was such a special day for my family and me. I was humbled to learn that some of the teachers and specialists at my school in Japan watched the commencement ceremony online!

Applying Her EdD to Her Career

After earning the EdD, I worked as the gifted resources specialist at a DoDEA elementary school in Quantico, Virginia. My education and skills acquired as a DoDEA teacher and administrator were extremely useful to me in this position. I enjoyed the opportunity to work with all students as they gained skills to be successful in the 21st century. My fellow educators and I focused on integrative STEM education approaches and College and Career Ready Standards to best prepare students for their futures. This opportunity gave me new insights into the needs of teachers and leaders of 21st century learners.

Towards the end of the school year, I felt ready to teach and guide educators and educational leaders to excellence in education within higher education. After talking with my dissertation chair, I learned that a position opened in the Department of Educational Leadership at Ball State, and I applied for it. The university made an offer, and I accepted an assistant professor position within the department that supported me for so many years.

To become a faculty member in the Department of Educational Leadership was an honor. Although I had a unique experience as an online doctoral student abroad, I was welcomed, mentored, and supported by the faculty as I made the transition from working in PK-12 education to higher education.

Achieving New Goals

During the past six years, I have taught courses, supervised principal interns, advised students, implemented program recruitment strategies, designed and led doctoral peer mentoring programs, worked with colleagues and developed an integrative STEM education course and book, received grants, published peer-reviewed articles, presented peer-review papers, and collaborated with colleagues throughout the college and within other institutions. The work that I have completed and continue to do at Ball State inspires me, and I am grateful for the opportunities I have at this institution.

I have focused on international studies, creative thinking, and educational leadership throughout my higher education and work in schools. Before I began working for DoDEA or taking courses through Ball State Online, I set a goal. My goal was to take undergraduate or graduate students overseas to study education systems. I wrote this goal in a notebook and shared the goal with friends and family members. I believed I could achieve this goal if I continued to work hard towards it every day.

In 2018, Ball State provided me the opportunity to achieve this goal by accompanying Ball State student teachers to Ramstein, Germany, during the fall semester of that year. I was the university supervisor while the student teachers complete their student teaching semester at DoDEA schools on the United States Air Force and Army bases in Germany.

Now, I am the Director of International Programs for Teachers College and work with faculty to develop and implement meaningful partnerships worldwide and within DoDEA. The relevant knowledge and practical experiences that I gained as a DoDEA teacher and administrator, Ball State student, and assistant professor have prepared me to be an effective leader and educator in multiple capacities. I look forward to future opportunities.

Dr. Rachel Geesa,
MA ‘12
MAE ‘13
EdS ‘13
EdD ‘14

May 28, 2021November 17, 2022

Online Doctorate Offers Rigor and Flexibility to DoDEA Educator Making 5 International Moves

As a military spouse, I served over 14 years in a variety of teaching and administrative positions with the United States Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) and Child and Youth Services, in Cuba, South Korea, Germany, and Italy. Additionally, I’ve been employed as a professor with a stateside university for over 15 years.As a Ball State University alumna, I can attest to the superior quality and value of the Ball State Online program, and the results the program produced in laying the foundation that helped me become a successful teacher leader, administrator, and college professor.

During my time in South Korea, with a friend’s recommendation, I decided to pursue a doctorate in education with an emphasis in special education at Ball State. I spent hours researching various reputable online graduate education programs, including those offered at my alma mater. I was unable to find a program that mixed high rigor with flexible access to the learning platform. As a current faculty member of a stateside university, I qualify for a significant discount but was attracted to the quality, depth of program rigor, and faculty involvement found in Ball State’s educational programs that were not available at many programs I researched.

Faculty and Advisor Support

My professors and advisors helped design a program that enabled success without having to step onto the campus until graduation. The program flexibility allowed me to attend classes and complete coursework during nights and weekends, while maintaining a full-time career with DoDEA and teaching higher education courses in the evenings. Everything including lectures, testing, and my dissertation defense was conducted remotely, via seamlessonline learning platforms. Additionally, my doctoral advisor was always responsive and helpful when I needed support or had questions about my program.

I was able to complete the first half of my doctoral program (including the first half of my internship) while living in South Korea, and the second half of my program while living in Las Vegas, Nevada. Subsequently, I finished my dissertation and the second half of my internship in Southern California where I focused my research on High Achieving Title I Schools. The ability to lead a diverse lifestyle, living and working in multiple locations would not have been possible without the flexibility offered by the Ball State Online program.

I had the pleasure and honor of stepping foot on the historic grounds of Ball State to graduate and be hooded, first an education specialist, and a year later as a doctor by Dr. Marilynn Quick (who supported me throughout the program). It was such a special day for my family, as I am the first to earn a doctorate.

Setting and Achieving Goals

Before I began working for DoDEA or taking courses with Ball State Online, I set a goal: to focus my continued education on improving myself as a teacher leader by filling in any “gaps” from my teacher education program. Whenever I interviewed for a new position in education, I shared this goal with my prospective employer. I believed I could achieve this goal if I continued to work hard toward it every day.

Ball State helped to achieve this goal by customizing and tailoring a learning program that equipped me with knowledge of the superintendent’s position and special education content mastery that I was missing. The relevant knowledge and practical experiences that I gained as a DoDEA teacher and administrator, Ball State student, and adjunct professor have prepared me to be an effective leader and educator in multiple capacities. I am grateful for the opportunities that I had at this institution.

In my eighth year of teaching higher education, my university phased out professors without master’s degrees. Earning my doctorate and education specialist degree prepared me to meet the higher expectations for educators set by the developing university. After earning my EdD, I worked as a gifted resource specialist and English teacher in the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada. After that experience, I accepted a gifted position in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and continue to teach for the University of Phoenix. Currently, I serve in the Fairfax County School district as an itinerant ESOL educator serving low-incidence special education students and developing curriculum for the District Office.

Dr. Cameron Gonzales-Chenevert, EdS ’13, EdD ‘14