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Distinctive Department Spotlight: Sonni Williams; Curriculum & Instruction Leadership Online

What brought you to Evangel?

Initially, I came to Evangel because of their reputation of quality educators in their education department. Once classes began, I knew this was where I needed to be. Not only did I have high quality Christian Educators to learn from, but I had an amazing group of likeminded classmates as well.  

How did you know that Education was your calling?

Since I was a young girl, I was always playing school with my teddy bears and my younger cousins. We would practice our letters, sight words, and numbers. I did have a brief moment in middle school and early high school when I thought I wanted to be a neonatal nurse. I was inspired by the nurses who took care of a family member who was born three months early. However, after quickly learning that I get queasy around blood, I knew God was steering back on course to the career path he had decided for me many moons prior. He wanted me in the classroom where I could help to mold His impressionable children into tomorrow’s leaders. 

How would you best describe your time at Evangel? 

To simply sum up my time at Evangel – it has been the best educational decision I have ever made! The Curriculum & Instruction Leadership program is the most flexible program I have been a part of and it can be done anywhere! I completed this program while living abroad in both Latin America and Asia. EU is not only supportive of my learning, but also my spiritual well being. In my experience, this level of understanding is difficult to find anywhere else. My undergraduate universities did not come close. Looking back now, I wish I would have chosen EU to begin my educational journey for my Bachelor’s. 

In what ways did the Education department impact you? 

The Education department at EU takes the time to get to know their students and their lives outside of school. The Education team stays up-to-date on the ever-changing 21st century learning. They utilize current and relevant researched-based learning strategies in a way where you could easily implement them into any classroom setting. 

How have you seen God present through your educational journey and career?

God is with me every day in the classroom. Each year, He entrusts me with a new group of diverse students, using me to meet their needs while teaching them more than just our state standards. Grace, patience, and empathy are large parts of being an educator, and I feel that God is constantly reminding me of this as I move through my educational journey. 

What would you say to a student considering coming to Evangel and pursuing a master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction Leadership?

DO IT!! You will not regret this decision!