KENNESAW, Ga. | May 6, 2025

Work didn’t end for Jennifer Wilson after the last bell rang at Red Top Middle School in Emerson, Georgia.

While enrolled in the educational leadership doctoral program at Kennesaw State University, the full-time assistant principal and mother of two had research papers and discussion posts to write, classes to take. Wilson and her husband took turns cooking dinner for their daughters, and she attended their golf matches and tennis tournaments when she could.

Graduating this May, Wilson will be the first in her family to have earned a doctorate.

“This was a huge accomplishment for me personally,” she said. “I just couldn’t quit.”

Coming up on two years at Red Top, Wilson had spent 17 years at White Elementary School, first as a teacher and then, an instructional lead teacher, all while continuing her education. In 2021, Wilson earned her specialist degree in educational leadership from KSU, and before then, a master’s in brain-based learning from Nova Southeastern University.

“I knew I wanted to earn a master’s and a specialist degree, but I never really thought I could achieve a doctorate,” Wilson said. “Everyone is scared of the dissertation. You hear horror stories.”

For her dissertation, she chose a topic that hits close to home, professional learning communities (PLCs) and teacher efficacy in rural Title I schools across Bartow County. PLCs are a framework that calls for collaboration among teachers to improve student learning. Twice a week at Red Top, teachers from the same grade level and subject matter meet to discuss recent class performance and daily instruction.

In addition to managing staff concerns, overseeing standardized testing, and addressing facility issues like malfunctioning air conditioning, Wilson also attends weekly PLC meetings. Her research emphasizes the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment in these meetings — one where teachers feel comfortable being vulnerable, a challenge that is particularly relevant in rural Title I schools, which often have a higher number of veteran educators.

“I don’t care if you’ve taught for 45 years — if you have a second-year teacher who is blowing test scores off the charts, we have got to investigate what she’s doing,” Wilson said.

PLCs began to roll out across the county about five years ago. It happened in phases, allowing the teachers time to adapt.

“With professional learning communities, you have to eat the elephant one bite at a time,” Wilson said.

Somebody asked Wilson if she regrets going for her doctorate. In response, she said, “Absolutely not.”

“I would do it all over again in a heartbeat,” Wilson said. “It was a lot, but it wasn’t just busy work. It involved a lot of practical discussion, practical things to implement in our buildings, and then bringing them back and evaluating what worked and what didn’t.”

Arvin Johnson, professor and interim chair of the Department of Educational Leadership in the Bagwell College of Education, mentored Wilson throughout the program. With relevant research expertise and experience as a middle school principal, he served as the chair of Wilson’s dissertation committee.

“Jennifer was a quintessential doctoral student,” Johnson said. “She was quick to take instruction, and she did excellent on her comprehensive exams and wrote an excellent dissertation, which added to the field with its focus on rural schools.”

Rural schools, Johnson said, are often overlooked.

“Jennifer was very positive, and extremely hyper-focused on getting the job done and getting the job done well,” Johnson said.

– Story by Amber Perry

Photos by Judith Pishnery

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.