Educator Hannah Gayle likes to tell her students about how after flunking out of college, she returned and finished what she started. And then some.
“I enrolled in college in 2014 as a non-traditional student, but I spent three or four years basically messing around, not really knowing what I
wanted to do,” she said. “I tried different majors, like nursing and economics, because people told me they would lead to a good job, and that I just needed to graduate. I wasn’t finding a passion for anything I wanted to do, so I was dismissed from school.”
Gayle made up for lost time by graduating from Boise State University’s online Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Professional Studies with minors in nonprofit management and economics in 2020.
“When I came back to school, I met with somebody who recommended the interdisciplinary studies program,” she said. “I then met with an advisor who helped me realize I was way closer to graduation than I thought. Before that, I felt like I wasn’t going to graduate.”
After finding her true calling as a teacher, Gayle moved to Dallas to teach at Uplift Education, a charter school for inner-city students. She also added a master’s degree in education, graduating from Johns Hopkins University in 2023.
“COVID-19 got me into teaching,” she said. “I was graduating and applying for jobs. I wasn’t having a lot of luck, but I was already working in education. I was able to use my bachelor’s degree as a way to get into a teaching program I am in now, City Teaching Alliance.
“I didn’t have the GPA requirement to get into Teach for America, but I wanted to leave my hometown and get a new opportunity. I got into this teaching program because I already had my bachelor’s degree.”
Staying the course
Gayle grew up in Boise and became a mom to twins when she was 17 years old. Her father, Derrick Gayle, attended Boise State, while her mother, Mandi Pierce, is a current student. She started her career in the healthcare field before transitioning to education.
“This program allowed me to get my bachelor’s degree and beat the societal odds,” she said. “The reality is that less than 2% of teen moms get a college degree. I could have never imagined making the money I am now without a degree.
“I am financially stable and able to provide for my children. I was also able to get a master’s degree as a result of this program. I never thought about that being an option in my life.”
When she enrolled at Boise State for the second time, Gayle’s second set of twins were eight months old, so the flexibility of the online format was a must because of her busy schedule.
“I was really not good with online classes before I was in this program,” she said. “It made online learning a lot easier and more attainable for me than the other online classes that I had taken. I wouldn’t have finished school if it wasn’t for this program. It worked out well.”
The Capstone course was Gayle’s favorite in the online Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Professional Studies curriculum.
“We had to read the book Creating Great Choices in that class,” she said. “I still reference that book, four years later. With my minor, I got to be a founding board member at a high school in Boise, Cardinal Academy, which is a non-profit.
“The classes in the program, like Conflict Resolution in the Workplace (now Creating a Culture of Safety), and learning how to be hirable and take your skills and apply them to multiple fields were really helpful, as well.”
Family tradition
Gayle did not get to walk at the commencement ceremony because it was all online due to COVID-19, but she made up for it by walking the graduation stage at Johns Hopkins. Her family is elated for her success. Her father, who is from Jamaica, ran track at Boise State, where her mother also worked.
“I am the first woman in my family to have a master’s degree,” she said. “My Mom has an associate degree. She could have never imagined being as financially secure as I am. She had me young, and she’s seen the life differences and the changes I’ve made.”
Now that she has a bachelor’s and master’s degree, Gayle looks forward to gaining more experience and raising her children with her boyfriend and his child. After moving to Dallas to teach, she became a Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) recipient.
TIA is a public program where teachers qualify based on the academic performance of their students. As a result, Gayle is making a higher income as a teacher in Texas than she could in Idaho.
“My next goal is doing something half in the classroom, half out of the classroom,” she said. “My long-term goal is to work for myself and have the flexibility to be home with my kids while making an income.
“I want to enjoy the extra bonus for the next five years and develop my craft so that I can go into educational consulting or curriculum writing.”
For now, Gayle will continue to show her students that no matter which direction they take after high school, they can earn a college degree through hard work and persistence.
“It made sense for me to go to Boise State,” she said. “I am so glad that I went back. Having a bachelor’s degree has already opened a lot of doors for me.”
Learn more about interdisciplinary professional studies at Boise State
Want to learn more about the online Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Professional Studies? Join us for an online information session or contact a student success coach.