Like Mother, Like Daughter
Christy and Emma Lewis participated in May commencement after completing the Master of Arts in gifted education program together. The mother and daughter duo participated in the program virtually while working full time in the St. Louis area.
“I immediately started looking into ways that I could obtain a gifted degree and move into my dream career,” she said. “Truman’s degree was completely online, which made it easy to complete from St. Louis while also working full-time. Not only that, but it would only take me one year to complete the degree, which was a huge plus as I wanted to get into the gifted classroom as soon as possible.”
Having done all her research, and realizing Truman’s program was ideal for her plan, Lewis went looking for the final piece of the puzzle: someone to do the program with her. The classmate she recruited for her one-year adventure was Christy Lewis, her mom.
Christy was already a seasoned educator teaching math and computer classes in the Hazelwood School District. She came to the field with bachelors’ degrees in math and multidisciplinary studies (education) from McMurry University in Abilene, Texas. The idea of continuing her own education had always been in her mind, but work and raising two children put the plan on the backburner for 30 years.
“I had considered going back to get my master’s degree, but the thought of it was a little daunting. When Emma asked me though, circumstances were different, so I told her I would consider it,” Christy said. “I teach a lot of honors and AP classes. I have so many gifted students in those classes who might be able to benefit from me being better educated on the best practices of working with them.”
The duo began the Master of Arts in gifted education program in summer 2024. Strategically, they took the same courses at the same time. Emma was still living at home that summer, and they made time every day to sit down together.
“We spent many days sharing notes, documents and presentations,” Emma said. “She looked over all of my assignments and approved them before I submitted them, and vice versa.”
Aside from some pandemic-era necessity, neither woman had previously participated in an extensive online education program. They both appreciated the flexibility of being able to complete the program at their own pace and did not find the schedule intrusive. They were even able to take a trip to Denmark together while still completing their coursework. While Emma was a resource for her mother on the technology side, Christy was able to share wisdom from her career.
“At times it felt a little odd, knowing I was older than my professors and most people in the class,” Christy said. “There were times, though, that I could provide a different outlook on something that Emma could see. She just hadn’t had the experience or as much time in the classroom as I had. I think that worked in her favor at times.”
Being at different points in their careers, participating in the Master of Arts in gifted education means different things to each woman. For Emma, it’s a stepping stone that advances her career immediately.
“Earning this MA has opened up the job opportunities that I could have, and now I will start as a gifted specialist next year in Hazelwood,” she said.
At some point in the future, Christy might parlay her master’s degree into an opportunity such as serving as a gifted resource high school teacher. In the short term, she got to work side by side with her daughter, and the skills she gained will benefit her current students.
“I would not have ventured out on this journey if it weren’t for Emma. She was the catalyst. She was also the one who kept me going when I would get frustrated or overwhelmed,” Christy said. “For now, I am content in knowing that I think I can have a bigger impact on my students’ learning based on the knowledge I have from completing this program.”
While Emma and Christy will officially complete the program in August, earlier this year they were able to formally celebrate their progress. Mother and daughter made the trip to Kirksville to participate in Truman’s spring commencement ceremony where they sat on the field together and crossed the stage one after the other.
“My mom said that she got to walk first because she was born first, but it was amazing to look down after receiving my degree and see her waiting for me at the bottom of the stage,” Emma said. “My mom was there for every step in my educational career, from the first day of kindergarten, to my last graduation ceremony.”
“I had the best view of anyone watching her cross the stage,” Christy said. “I am so proud of what we did together!”
