Rita Fennelly-Atkinson
Digital Promise
Costa Mesa, CA USA
"You need to basically learn how to tell the story of who you are and what you can do—not what you’ve done, what you can do."
Career Roadmap
Rita's work combines: Education, Non-Profit Organizations, and Working with Others
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Take advantage of whatever opportunities present themselves, no matter how small of a step it might be. You may not have time to take a semester long course, but maybe you have time to do a four week course, or a week, or an hour. Whatever you can do is going to help you. It's also important to learn how to tell your own story. Our stories are very big and they have a lot of pieces. Figure out which pieces you want to put forward depending on which path you want to take.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Associate's Degree
General Studies
Palomar College
Bachelor's Degree
Biology, General
Concordia University Irvine
Graduate Degree
Secondary Education and Teaching
Concordia University Irvine
Doctorate
Instructional Systems Design & Technology
Sam Houston State University
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
As a first-generation Latina, I was the first in my family to attend college and pursued my education passionately.
2.
To fund my education, I joined the military and leveraged their tuition assistance program.
3.
I realized my true calling was in education, leading me to leave the military and pursue a degree in biology with the goal of becoming a scientist.
4.
After realizing my passion for teaching, I shifted my career and spent several years as an educator, impacting many students' lives.
5.
Balancing full-time work and studies, I earned my doctoral degree while working at Digital Promise where I focused on digital credentials.
6.
My role at Digital Promise allows me to create opportunities for historically excluded learners, a mission close to my heart.
Defining Moments
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
As the first in my family to go to college, I didn't really know how to navigate the process and I had to learn many things the hard way. My passion for education and determination to succeed led me to earn a doctoral degree.