Shea Pugh earned widespread admiration during her time at Fitchburg State, including receiving one of its highest honors the Graduate Student Leadership Award.

Why did you choose Fitchburg State for your graduate degree?

After meeting a friend and coworker who was currently a Fitchburg undergraduate, I decided to look into the school. Being from the west coast, I had this idea that “state schools” would be big, and Fitchburg was not. I discovered it was less expensive than the other school I was looking at, and after a visit, it just felt like home. In fact, after talking with many undergraduate students I found that many just have this “feeling” and know that Fitchburg is right for them.

Did the program meet your expectations? How?

The Special Education program at Fitchburg State met all my expectations. I loved Dr. Nancy Murray, liked that the program was an online/hybrid model, and really appreciated the affordability. 

There wasn't a class I didn’t like, or at least find value in, for pursuing my masters. I liked that many of the professors still currently work in the education field. For me, this meant that they knew what was happening day to day, and could sympathize with the students as they worked and attended school. Luckily for me, everything went as planned and I graduated on time.  

Can you tell us a little about your GA experience?  

I worked as a graduate assistant in a newly-created hybrid position serving the university’s housing and student conduct programs. In this role, I displayed an ability to relate to students in a meaningful way despite challenging circumstances, inspiring them to reflect on their choices and how it impacted their university experience. I was commended for treating students with compassion and respect while being firm and fair.

My GA experience was amazing! I am really glad that I did it, and for me, it helped me feel even more connected to the campus as a whole.

Another bonus was the position offered tuition benefits which helped alleviate other life expenses. The difficult part was balancing school and work, but I believe this is the same for any grad student juggling work and school. 

How did you juggle the demands of working and going to school?

I had to plan, schedule, and utilize whatever time I had. I'm not much of a planner or organizer, but I've improved these skills as I've gotten older.

I do not think I could have done this right after my undergrad experience. I needed to grow in my organizational skills. I would look at the syllabus and figure out when everything was due, and put it in my phone. I used an app called TASKY, that would pop up when things were due. Then I would set aside an evening to do homework more seriously.

There were times it was tough, but I did it and I also managed to have some fun and maintain some kind of a personal life outside of school and work, which is important.

What are your goals/plans now that you've graduated?

I recently started teaching science at a residential program at my former employer.  It’s an "all boys" program for boys with social-emotional issues, as well as other factors going on in their lives. So far, it's been an adventure.

I’m not sure exactly where I will end up, because I really loved my student teaching experience in a public school. So I am taking the next few months to learn what I can from my current job, while figuring out where I want to go.

I'm considering going into administration or a higher part of special education, but feel I'll miss the interactions with the students. Another thought is starting the Wilson Language Training® to become certified and more marketable in the special education field. I will be a lifelong learner, but I'm glad to be done with a long-term program for now. Maybe, just maybe, I’ll pursue a doctorate, but that is a big "maybe" right now.

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