Kennesaw Point out alumna tapped by Microsoft to enable promote training with engineering

KENNESAW, Ga.
(Aug 30, 2021) — Kennesaw Condition University double alumna Stephanee Stephens has devoted her career
to boosting training as a result of know-how, and she now is accomplishing that as component
of 1 of the world’s prime technological know-how corporations.

As a present day office senior expert with Microsoft, Stephens gives educational
help to P-12 and bigger training pros all over the southeastern United
States. Stephens, who formerly led the iTeach device in KSU’s Bagwell University of Education and learning, demonstrates educators how to utilize Microsoft’s assets and technological resources to
advance instructing and studying as a result of progressive procedures.

“I usually will consider myself a teacher and, from a social affect perspective, I
sense like I’m continue to carrying out that even however I’m not in a classroom each day,” claimed
Stephens, whose two degrees from Kennesaw Point out include a doctorate in academic know-how management. “I am in a position to aid learners gain accessibility to equipment that will modify their mastering
recreation and make them even additional marketable as a learner, as a individual in a vocation, and
as a member of culture.”

In the eight months she has been with Microsoft, Stephens reported that she has found
her colleagues significantly having recognize of Kennesaw State as a chief in teaching
educators to empower studying with technology. Before this calendar year, KSU elevated the
instructional engineering department in the Bagwell Faculty to the Faculty of Educational Engineering and Innovation.

“Changing educational technological know-how from a section to a college places bodyweight behind
all the function that’s been accomplished to pull together scientists, practitioners and coaches
in just the school to assist teachers be the best they can be,” Stephens mentioned. “I think
Kennesaw State defines what a university should be in the modern day period, by going forward
and continuing to expand rather than sitting down still.”

Stephens speaks from her combined experiences as a Kennesaw State university student, faculty
member and iTeach director. She gained her 1st degree from KSU, a Learn of Education in Training English to Speakers of Other Languages, in 2009 though she was an instructional technological innovation expert with Fulton County
Colleges. She accomplished her Ed.D. in Educational Technology from Kennesaw State last December, defending her dissertation on the exact working day she
had her final job interview with Microsoft.

Along with remaining a very pleased KSU alumna, Stephens considers her most rewarding professional
accomplishment to be expanding the iTeach unit in her 5 several years as director. Stephens
designed a team of a lot more than 60 academic technological innovation professionals who give technology-connected
qualified finding out, consulting and products and services to approximately 275 educational institutions and/or
districts in Ga and other states.

“The iTeach unit will go on to prosper and shift ahead,” Stephens reported. “That’s
a credit history to the staff, not to me, but I’m so proud to have been a element of that.”

When Stephens downplays her individual significance, a colleague and friend from the Bagwell
College respectfully disagrees. Traci Redish, the director of the School of Instructional
Technologies and Innovation, employed Stephens as iTeach director and observed up-close the
contributions she manufactured not only to that specific device, but also in building educational
technological innovation curriculum and remaining one particular of the leaders in elevating the division to
a faculty.

“Stephanee is a very superior achiever, innovator and advocate for learning with engineering,”
Redish stated. “She is a chief in instruction and will keep on to make a name for herself
in the subject.”

Even though Stephens has moved on to the profession chance with Microsoft, she continues to be
connected to Kennesaw Point out. Stephens continues to instruct section-time, instructing graduate-degree
classes in the Bagwell Faculty of Education’s Individualized Discovering Endorsement system.

“I enjoy training, and being ready to stay faculty retains me connected to the Bagwell
School and to the College, to be able to add back in a meaningful way to
those people who also will have good experiences likely by,” reported Stephens. “I owe a
large amount to KSU, and it is a location that usually will really feel like household to me.”

– Paul Floeckher

Photos by David Caselli

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A leader in revolutionary educating and finding out, Kennesaw Condition College gives undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels to its much more than 41,000 students. With 11 schools on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw Point out is a member of the College System of Ga and the next-biggest college in the state. The university’s vivid campus tradition, varied population, potent worldwide ties and entrepreneurial spirit attract students from all through the area and from 126 countries throughout the globe. Kennesaw Condition is a Carnegie-selected doctoral investigate establishment (R2), positioning it among an elite group of only 6 p.c of U.S. faculties and universities with an R1 or R2 standing. For much more details, stop by kennesaw.edu.