Come meet Dr. Belinda Walters-Brazile, an Adjunct Professor for Thomas University’s new Educational Leadership programs, with a passion for the impact of education.
What programs do you teach at Thomas University? What drew you to this field of study? What keeps you excited about it?
I have taught EDU 610, 612, 616, 617, 619, 623 in the College of Education and for the new Educational Leadership programs: Educational Leadership (Tier I) Certification-Only, M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (Tier I) Certification, and Ed.S. in Educational Leadership (Tier II) Certification. I’m drawn to this field of study because of my experience as an educator and administrator; there are facets of the job that are difficult to teach unless you’ve lived it. Throughout my career in education, I have experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly. I hope to help prepare our future administrators to have the most positive impact that they can.
How will the educational leadership programs better prepare and equip educators for the current climate they are facing? How will they help them tackle the challenges of COVID and post-COVID teaching?
Today’s climate in education reflects the climate of the world around us. There is a lot of uncertainty, fear, and a desire for things to be more familiar. While there has been a lot of turmoil in the world due to the pandemic and other world situations, we must try to find the possibilities.
I’m reminded of a Winston Churchill quote, “Don’t waste a good crisis.” While his focus was much different, we must look at how this has pushed us forward in terms of technology. There are some positives and possibilities to be found. The educational leadership program will help future administrators to discover those possibilities and use them to benefit their communities.
What attracted you to teach at Thomas University? What sets them apart?
Thomas University has given me the opportunity to work with some amazing people who genuinely care about developing educators to be the best versions of themselves. I’m fortunate to have become a part of Thomas; I enjoy having the opportunity to develop, lead, and help design courses and certification programs.
What is your professional background as an educator?
I began my career teaching fifth grade after completing my degree at The Ohio State University and Heidelberg University. The University of West Georgia was my next stop academically, where I completed my Master’s in Educational Leadership. I then moved from the classroom into administration as an assistant principal (both middle and elementary school levels). Soon, I completed my specialist’s degree at West Georgia in educational leadership. Later, I made a move to the position of principal of an elementary school in Cobb County, Georgia.
I served as a principal at the elementary level for 16 years! During that time, I also earned my Doctorate in Educational Leadership. This set the stage for me to move to a central office position where I trained all new principals K-12 as an Executive Director of Transformational Leadership.
I then moved into the role of assistant superintendent, working with 69 elementary schools in a district of approximately 112,000 students. Currently, I serve as the deputy superintendent of Marietta City Schools and serve a student population of approximately 9,000 students.
Tell us a little about yourself. Why did you become interested in education?
A little about me personally, I love to be outdoors and spend time with my family. We are big on making family memories, so travel is huge for our family! I am happily married to my husband, Shane (who also teaches for Thomas), and we have three very active boys ranging from 14 to 21.
My passion for education came from the love and guidance I received from my fifth-grade teacher, Ms. Jack!
What would you tell prospective students considering your educational leadership programs about yourself? What’s something that students and colleagues should know about you?
I believe in putting all I have into anything I do. We have put all our collective experience into designing a thorough educational leadership program to help our students prepare for their careers.
What advice do you have for students interested in pursuing their educational leadership degree? How can people stand out in these fields?
My advice for students interested in the educational leadership programs is to enter with an open mind to absorb as much as possible. We’ve been there, and we want our experience to help you be prepared for every facet of educational leadership.