From Passion to Ph.D.: Kelcie Burke's UNK journey comes to an end with a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction

Attending the University of Nebraska at Kearney was an easy decision for alumna Kelcie Burke, who graduated summa cum laude with a Family Science B.S. in 2022. 
 
“I knew forever that I wanted to come to UNK because I've gone to camps here, I've been around the Kearney community, and I just love Kearney,” said the McCook native. 
 
As an upcoming graduate from UNK’s online Curriculum and Instruction M.A.Ed. program, Burke was not as certain about attending graduate school.  
 
After serving as a mentor to Burke’s undergraduate research, UNK’s Associate Professor of Teacher Education Dr. Marisa Macy encouraged Burke to pursue graduate school to further develop her research skills. 
 
“I knew if I was going to get a graduate degree, I didn't want to have to leave UNK because I loved it,” Burke said. 
 
Though hesitant to enroll due to fear the program would consume all her time, she quickly realized her fears were irrelevant and the online aspect was “totally doable.” 
 
“Even if you have a full-time career or a full-time job, since it's online, it's really at your own pace. Professors will work with you as much or as little as you need,” she said. 
 
Burke can attest to the ability to complete an online degree with a stacked schedule. During her time in the graduate program, she worked as a graduate assistant, held an executive role in UNK’s Graduate Student Association, represented the College of Education on UNK’s Graduate Council, and presented her research alongside Dr. Macy at conferences around the U.S., including the Conference on Research Innovations in Early Intervention (CRIEI) held in San Diego, California. 
 
“It is an international conference, so I got to meet professors, researchers, and graduate students from all across the country and other countries,” Burke said about CRIEI. “It was amazing getting to make those connections and hear what is going on in this field that I am so passionate about.” 
 
These opportunities and endless encouragement from mentor Dr. Macy have built Burke a strong professional network and a “stacked” CV. 
 
“This program has made me a well-rounded professional and more marketable to jobs and for the next level of education,” said Burke, who was recently accepted into the Human Science Ph.D. program, specializing in Child Development/Early Childhood Education at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Her acceptance into a doctoral program is one of the many things Burke is thankful to Dr. Macy for. 

“She's the reason that I really even knew going on to a Ph.D. was possible,” Burke said. “No one in my family has done that, and I didn't know the process. She's been great.” 
 
Dr. Macy can personally relate to her students’ fears of applying to a doctoral program. 
 
“As a first-generation student, I didn’t know anything about pursuing a doctorate,” explained Dr. Macy. “Sharing opportunities with graduate students is what I perceive as my role in being a mentor.” 
 
Dr. Macy’s mentorship has lead Burke once again to UNK’s commencement stage, where she will graduate with her master’s in Curriculum and Instruction. 
 
“Kelcie deserves all the credit,” said Dr. Macy. “She earned a spot in the prestigious early childhood program and will be working with spectacular scholars at UNL. I’m thrilled for her and her bright future.”