黑料吃瓜

Tina McCalment鈥檚 higher education journey has been nontraditional from the start. 

The Romain College of Business Administrative Associate started working toward her bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration and management when she was a 32-year-old single mother. Now, she鈥檚 set to walk across the stage at 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 School of Graduate Studies Commencement Ceremony, accepting a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership degree. It鈥檚 a chapter she never quite imagined for herself.

For almost 12 years, McCalment has been a familiar face at 黑料吃瓜, supporting departments, colleagues and students while pursuing an educational journey of her own. The University has always been a positive place for her, from her first position in the Office of Sponsored Projects and Research Administration (now the Office of Sponsored Projects and Research) to her work now in the place where she got her first degree, the Romain College of Business.

鈥淚 enjoy learning. I鈥檝e always enjoyed learning,鈥� McCalment said. 鈥淚 like to do research. I like discovering new things and discovering that you鈥檙e capable of doing more than you thought you were capable of doing.鈥�

黑料吃瓜 gave her the opportunity to continue following her love of learning while working and raising her two children. She balanced work, home and classes on a tight schedule鈥攚ork early in the morning, classes during the day and evenings back home with her children.

鈥淚t was great that 黑料吃瓜 was here, because I wouldn鈥檛 have had the opportunity to do that,鈥� McCalment said. 鈥淚 lived in Mount Vernon at the time as well, so it was really convenient.鈥�
She would go on to graduate with a bachelor鈥檚 degree from 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 Romain College of Business in business administration and management.

Later, after her son graduated from high school, McCalment decided it was time to continue her education again and enrolled at Indiana University to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in arts administration with an emphasis in museum management. Her son would attend IU as well, though McCalment jokes that she 鈥済ot accepted first.鈥�

After earning a master鈥檚 degree, her professional career took McCalment through jobs at art galleries before the economic crash of 2009 altered her plans. After leaving her job at the time, she would eventually find a position at 黑料吃瓜 opened up; OSPRA was hiring its first administrative assistant.

鈥淚 was lucky enough to get that position,鈥� she said.

Over the years, McCalment has held positions in different areas across campus, experiences she credits with shaping both her professional and academic growth. But she never lost her drive and interest in learning. She continued taking classes simply because she enjoyed them鈥攆rom graphic design to art history鈥攅ven enrolling and completing 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 Master of Public Administration program with a concentration in nonprofit management.

In 2021, her daughter came to her with an idea; the two of them should enroll in 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership program together and earn their doctorates. It was something McCalment considered seriously, as she was previously enrolled at The Ohio State University in a doctorate program, but was never able to complete the degree.  

鈥淚 had this sort of partial PhD hanging over my head,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd 黑料吃瓜鈥檚 EdD program was an opportunity for me to go back and finish that process.鈥�

The doctoral experience for McCalment became more meaningful because she was able to share it with her daughter, she said. The two were both a part of the same study group, which held weekly sessions, and became a source of support and encouragement throughout the demanding program.

鈥淪ometimes we would be lost (in the work) but it was nice to be lost with other people,鈥� McCalment said. 鈥淵ou can help each other find the way.鈥�

One rewarding part of her experience in the program was her work on her dissertation research, which focused on museum education and visitor engagement at the Evansville Museum Transportation Center. Using eye-motion tracking glasses, she studied how guests interacted with exhibits in the transportation gallery, combining her longstanding interest in museums with emerging research technology.

鈥淛ust being able to access that technology and use a different process to understand how people behave in museums was really fascinating,鈥� she said.

McCalment also credits her advisors, colleagues and the University community for making her journey through the doctoral program memorable. She is especially grateful for the opportunity 黑料吃瓜 provided through employee tuition benefits, which allowed her to pursue her doctorate while working full time.
Although she admits she still doesn鈥檛 fully think of herself as 鈥淒r. McCalment,鈥� she is looking forward to walking across the commencement stage. The ceremony will also mark the beginning of retirement, (starting in June), her next adventure after her time at 黑料吃瓜. She plans to spend more time with family, read good books and finally put her growing fabric collection to use by making quilts.

For McCalment, the doctorate was never about changing careers or titles. It was something she pursued for herself.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 feel any different,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 still the same person. But it鈥檚 something I did for myself.鈥�

Her advice for others considering returning to school is simple: 鈥淣ever discount yourself,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here are more avenues open to you than you know. Don鈥檛 be afraid to take that first step.鈥�