Welcome to the ACE Alumni Spotlight, where we highlight our alumni and share their stories.
Kathryn Doyle is an art educator who graduated with an M.Ed. in Instructional Design and Technology in early 2024. While at ACE, she also worked as a graduate assistant. After a first career in fashion design, Kathryn has taught high school art and advanced placement (AP) courses for the past three years. We were excited to learn more about her career change and ACE experience.
ACE: Congratulations on recently completing the M.Ed. in Instructional Design and Technology program! How does it feel?
Kathryn Doyle (KD): Originally, I didn’t plan on getting a master’s degree, so to achieve this milestone fills me with a sense of pride! As an art educator with a Bachelor of Arts, I was apprehensive to pursue an online degree in education, but since my career transitioned from fashion design to teaching, it made sense.
Guided by the ACE team, I was advised to pursue the M.Ed. in Instructional Design and Technology program, and I have been able to align all my learnings into the art education world. From designing figure drawing courses and AP art trainings to learning how to incorporate art with modern technology, it was an incredible experience. This program allowed me to be creative and explorative on my journey, and I have become a better educator from it.
ACE: You have a background in fashion design and are now an educator. Tell us about changing career paths and how ACE helped you get there.
KD: I’m thankful for my bachelor’s degree in fashion design and the time I spent working in the industry because it allowed me to bring a dynamic viewpoint to teaching. I worked with graphic designers, merchandisers, print artists, marketing teams and more, and these are all career areas that I can share with my students.
Although I appreciated my time in that industry, I found that elements of hands-on creativity such as drawing, painting and collage-designing, to name a few, were missing from my life. I also wanted to make an impact, which brought forth the idea of teaching. I didn’t have any teaching experience, so I taught myself how to create standardized lesson plans. ACE helped me develop the skills and innovative teaching strategies that now allow me to enhance my students’ learning experiences.
ACE: How do you foresee your degree impacting your career?
KD: I’ve gained a substantial amount of knowledge that allows me to be a better educator. The lessons I learned not only impact my teaching career, but they also impact my students’ lives. Education is constantly evolving, and ACE provides tangible resources and tools for educators to access.
ACE: You were an ACE graduate assistant. What did you love most about that experience?
KD: I loved that I was able to work with advanced software and platforms that I would have never had the opportunity to learn about such as Storyline, Rise and various Articulate360 programs. My instructors worked with me to achieve this goal, and I am truly grateful for their advice and guidance. I designed projects that impacted ACE programs, so I felt a large sense of pride in the production process of my work.
ACE: What advice would you give someone interested in going back to school?
KD: My advice would be to take the leap and chase your educational goals. I was concerned about time and scheduling, but the ACE team and professors work with you to be the best you can be. I immersed myself in the learning process and am leaving with supportive mentors, a great community and a degree that positively impacts my career. I am so thankful I chose to pursue my master’s degree at American College of Education.
Being an American College of Education alumni has its perks. When you return as an alumni for another program, you can save 5% off your tuition with the Alumni Continuing Education Grant.
