In 2014, Kristen graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in English Education. While completing that degree, she was able to travel to Boston for the NCTE conference with her advisor and two fellow students. In 2019, she graduated with a Master’s of Education in Literacy Studies allowing her to be a Read2Succeed Literacy Teacher and a Literacy Specialist. After completing that degree, she was able to travel to New Orleans, along with a professor and a fellow classmate, to present action research on student-selected reading at the ILA conference. Since graduation, she has served in many ways in Darlington County School District from being on school councils to participating in leadership for the past three years. She has also served as Teacher of the Year for the past two school years (19-10 and 20-21). She now serves as the department chair for Darlington High School’s English department, and will starting a new role as the school’s Reading Interventionist next year for striving readers. She say, “I have wanted to be an educator my entire life, and all of this was made possible because of Coker and the wonderful instructors I had the pleasure of learning with. I am forever grateful.”