Brothers Aaron and Ethan Purkins are both Southern Nazarene students that completed the Master of Arts in Educational Leadership. VYPE Magazine caught up with Ethan and Aaron to discuss the program and what this course will do for them professionally. 

VYPE: Are you employed with a school in Oklahoma? 

Aaron: Yes. I am an Agricultural Education teacher at Coalgate Public Schools.

Ethan: Yes. I am an Agricultural Educator at Moss Public Schools.

VYPE: Why was Southern Nazarene University the right school for you to pursue your master’s degree? 

Aaron: SNU was the right choice for me because of how the program is laid out. Taking only one class at a time and meeting once a week in person makes it easier for me to attend classes while still having a fulltime job. 

Ethan: SNU’s program was the right choice for me because focusing on one class at a time and meeting once a week makes it easier to still be able to focus on my career. 

VYPE: What have you enjoyed most about your time as a student at SNU? 

Aaron: Getting to meet and learning about other teachers in the area. Also learning different things that administrators are required to do. 

Ethan: Getting to know all of the other teachers in our cohort. Also, the atmosphere is more laid back than I expected. 

VYPE: How will this degree help you in your profession? 

Aaron: This degree will help me become a better leader and educator by learning more about the teaching world as an entirety and expanding my knowledge beyond the Ag world.

Ethan: This degree will aid me in becoming more well-rounded as a teacher while also becoming eligible for an administrative opportunity in the future.

VYPE: Was there something about the program that surprised you? Maybe something you didn’t expect? 

Aaron: How achievable this is. Starting a master’s program could be intimidating; but this has been an easier process than I expected. 

Ethan: The flexibility of the program was a surprise to me. The professors we have are also in the educational field at the secondary level. I feel their teaching methods are effective because they have real life experiences they use to better prepare us for administrative opportunities down the line.

VYPE: What advice would you give other adults like yourself who are looking to continue their education and are considering SNU as their school of choice? 

Aaron: That they need to give Dr. Case a call about SNU’s program because they are flexible and great to work with.  

Ethan: If you are considering obtaining a master’s degree, but are intimidated, SNU is the best choice for you. Their faculty and staff go above and beyond to assist you while you are enrolling and transitioning into the post graduate program.