Clint Miller

Job Title and School District:

Middle School Principal, Little Elm ISD

How has this degree affected your professional outlook? What about personally?

I originally started this program with a desire to be an athletic director. I was recruited to be an assistant principal just before I finished and within 4 years I had my first principalship. I have fallen in love with what I do.

What was your single biggest takeaway from the program?

I love the way the program was structured. I was a teacher and a coach, working 80-90 hours a week and raising 3 kids below the age of 10 when I started. There is no way I could have handled more than one class at a time.

How much time per week did you spend on your studies?

I usually spent about 15-20 hours per week on my studies.

Describe how having an online option made a degree more accessible for you.

With the situation I was in, online was my only option. Had it not been for the structure of Lamar's program I would have never been able to get my master's.

What was one of the biggest challenges during the program, and how did you overcome it?

Time was the biggest challenge. As a teacher and a coach working 80-90 hours a week, I had to work on my coursework late at night and use most of my free time on the weekends. It was a long 18 months, but it was so worth it in the end.

Why did you choose to earn your advanced degree from Lamar University?

I researched all online programs that offered what I was seeking. Lamar was at the top in every category.

What advice would you give to a prospective student who is considering this program?

Make sure you are serious about it and don't wait to do it. Go for it now.

What helped you get through the program the most? What helped you make it to the finish line?

The setup of the program was most helpful. Taking one five-week class at a time with a short break after each one was ideal for me. It was the hardest thing I have done but I pushed through and completed it.

Describe your family's thoughts and feelings about you earning your degree.

My family is very proud of me. I am only the second person in my large, extended family to earn an advanced degree.

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would have gone straight into my master's after I finished my bachelor's degree until waiting until I was 39, married, working 80-90 hours a week, and raising children.