MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The only thing that could make wrapping up their time at Middle Tennessee State University and earning their education degrees sweeter for mother-daughter pair and spring graduates Ayana Samuel and Autumn Claybrooks — walking the commencement stage inside Murphy Center on the same day.  

“It must have been a month or two before … we both realized we would be graduating together,” Samuel said of experiencing this special moment with her daughter. “God orchestrated that plan!”

“It felt incredibly special and meaningful to share that milestone together,” said Claybrooks. “Graduating alongside my mom is something I will always cherish. Our family was able to come together from all over the country to celebrate with us….  It became a moment that no one wanted to miss.” 

Samuel, a 15-year classroom veteran in special education, earned the College of Education’s doctorate in Assessment, Learning and Student Success while also teaching special education full time in Murfreesboro City Schools. 

Claybrooks completed her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and will embark on her first year in the classroom as a fourth-grade teacher at Barfield Elementary School in Murfreesboro this fall.

Supporting education’s established instructors

After her first 11 years in the classroom, Samuel pursued MTSU’s ALSS degree because of its focus on student-data analysis and flexible hours that cater to teachers juggling studies with classroom work. 

“The ability to interpret student data to inform the learning of students is important for students to make academic progress toward mastery … to improve the outcomes of assessment scores for these students,” she said. “I also had the option to attend classes online, which supported my busy lifestyle and full-time work schedule.” 

Samuel added that Kevin Krahenbuhl, the program’s director, immediately reached out and supported her when she expressed interest in the program.

“If anything, I wish I had other degrees from MTSU,” said Samuel, originally from Queens, New York. “Seeing how positive and informative the work at the College of Education was in preparing my daughter for her career in education made me proud.”

With her new degree in hand, Samuel plans to seek out school administration, professional-development speaker and professor positions. However, for the immediate future, Samuel said she’s looking forward to a “much-needed break” after her dissertation and years of doctoral study to secure her Ed.D. 

Equipping education’s future ‘difference makers’

For Claybrooks, her interest in becoming an educator started at home.

“I have always had a passion for giving back to children because I grew up watching my parents do the same,” said Claybrooks. “I spent many hours helping in my mom’s classroom, reading with students, and supporting them however I could.”

When the time came to pursue her education degree, Claybrooks said she chose MTSU because she knew it was one of the strongest pedagogical institutions in Tennessee, founded as a “normal school” with a mission to train teachers.

“Now, I feel confident heading into my own classroom this fall because MTSU gave me a strong foundation and prepared me well for the profession,” she said. “One of the biggest things that helped build my confidence was the amount of hands-on experience I received throughout the program.”

One of Claybrooks’ other impactful and unique MTSU experiences was the opportunity to student-teach abroad in Belize. 

“I would do it a million times over,” she said. “I learned so much about myself and the culture in Belize, and I am excited to bring that global knowledge to my personal classroom, the experience strengthening my ability to connect with students from diverse backgrounds and reinforcing the importance of culturally responsive teaching.”

While Claybrooks described graduating alongside her mom as “incredibly special,” she also said it was bittersweet. 

“I loved the (COE) faculty, the relationships I built with my classmates and the many opportunities the university provided throughout my time here,” she said. “My experience was so positive that I plan to continue my education by pursuing my master’s degree through MTSU’s College of Education!”

Claybrooks said witnessing her mom’s accomplishments and hard work continues to inspire her as she prepares to step foot into teaching this August. 

“As for more shared accomplishments with my mom, I definitely hope there are more to come. Graduating together was such a special milestone for us, and seeing her earn her doctorate has inspired me to continue setting big goals for myself as well.”

Learn more about the College of Education at https://education.mtsu.edu/. 

— Stephanie Wagner ([email protected])