Danielle Duggar

Q: “Tell us about yourself.” 
A: “I am a married mother of three. I teach American College Testing (ACT) prep in the private sector. I enjoy spending time with my children, friends, and family when I am not working. I am an enthusiastic, self-taught cook, an avid reader, and an obnoxiously-loud singer; I love creative activities. I find history fascinating, which led me to pursue my Master of Arts in History.”

Q: “Please describe briefly your professional experience and current employment.” 
A: “After completing my undergraduate English degree, I began teaching English and Reading ACT preparation. In my current role, I am responsible for the instruction, evaluation, and curriculum modification of each of my ACT students. I greatly enjoy working one-on-one with these learners as they prepare for post-secondary education.”

Q: “What was your motivation for pursuing your degree?” 
A: “My desire to teach at the post-secondary level led me to pursue a graduate degree. My interest in historical literature and my love of reading and writing directed my program choice. I am currently interviewing for local college and university instructor positions. I can't wait to share my passion for American history with a lecture hall full of learners this fall.”

Q: “Why did you choose Norwich?” 
A: “I was drawn to Norwich's Master of Arts in History program because of Norwich's rich history, dating back to 1819, and the program's rigorous academic standards. Norwich's program is unique because it offers an online master's program with a thesis option, which is uncommon among online graduate programs. The thesis was essential because I intend to continue my education through a doctoral program. Additionally, as a mother of three and an educator, I needed an online program to fit into my daily schedule rather than attending in-person classes. The history program was challenging, rigorous, and required a level of academic excellence that made me confident in the value of my degree choice.”  

Q: “Prior to beginning your courses, what were some of your expectations for an online degree program?” 
A: “Before beginning my courses, I expected a reading and writing intensive program. I knew I would need to devote many hours per week to my coursework and that the graduate-level work would be a challenge compared to my undergraduate English classes. Norwich's history program met and exceeded my expectations. The coursework was challenging, requiring intensive reading and writing. The weekly time commitment significantly exceeded my expectations. Many weeks, I devoted over 40 hours to completing the required reading, writing, or research.”

Q: “What is one piece of advice you would give to future students enrolling in one of Norwich's online programs?”  
A: “I advise future Norwich online students to prepare for a challenge, engage their peers in course discussions, and communicate with their professors. These programs are challenging, but everything worth having requires effort, dedication, and perseverance!”

Q: “What has been your biggest personal or professional success since starting your degree?” 
A: “Since completing my degree program at Norwich, I have applied to instructor positions at colleges and universities. This week, I was selected to interview for a faculty position with my local community college. My Norwich diploma enabled me to apply for this position, and my knowledge gained through the program gave me the confidence required to seek out and obtain my desired position.”

Q: “Please tell us about a time you could put your knowledge gained in the classroom to work immediately at your job.” 
A: “The knowledge I gained in class while analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing historiography has enabled me to provide expert instruction to my ACT students within their Reading and English programs. In ACT Reading, we teach business reading strategies that will allow the learner to quickly consume reading passages within the timed test while keeping sight of the thesis, key details, and author's point of view. This activity is a precursor to the more rigorous book annotations performed in my history classes. Students of any academic discipline benefit from analysis, evaluation, and synthesis training.”

Q: “What aspects of your Norwich experience will you carry most strongly with you?” 
A: “Norwich challenged me as an academic and a historian. Through this challenge, I built confidence in my academic ability and a dedication to excellence that I will carry throughout my career and personal life.”