Walking the stage at the University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC) Spring 2022 commencement ceremony was a moment Chandi Duran had been waiting for since she graduated from high school — not just since she completed her project management degree in January 2020. Her plans to attend commencement that year were derailed due to COVID-19, and it wasn’t the first time Chandi had wanted to walk the stage and couldn’t. 

Leadership is essential in any business or industry, but in the field of early childhood education, your responsibility and influence as a leader extend far beyond what you would typically face in a professional environment. 

As a leader in Early Childhood Education (ECE), you’re setting the tone for your staff and the students under your supervision. To that end, your impact will be measured for years to come, so it’s critical that you consistently evaluate and improve your leadership style.

Breianna Martinez’s story is one of perseverance and triumph. She just graduated from the University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC), the first in her family to get a degree, and is determined to continue her education to become a defense attorney. She wants to help those who have been wrongly convicted of a crime — namely her father. 

You might say working with young children is a calling for graduate student Heather Salas, even though she wasn’t sure she’d ever earn a bachelor’s degree, let alone be on the way to achieving her master’s degree. 

It wasn’t until much later in her life when she sought higher education, but Heather let her love of children and guiding them through their own learning lead her every step of the way.

“I volunteered to teach religious ed classes at my church,” she remembers. “I absolutely loved it!” So began her online education journey.