Andrea Whiteley says a USF education was the key that opened the doors to success. Now the high-school principal at McKeel Academy in Lakeland, Andrea earned a bachelor's degree in special education and a master's degree in educational leadership at USF's campus in Lakeland.

For Andrea, the combination of location and curriculum made this campus an easy choice.

"The special education cohort program and the Polk County location motivated me to attend this campus for my bachelor's degree," she says. "When I went back for my master's degree, the location and program design was again the motivation."

She also appreciated the smaller campus and personal attention she received. "The best things for me were the availability of the courses, the location, and most of all the helpfulness of the admissions office."

Andrea completed her bachelor's degree while serving on the Polk County School Board, where she successfully applied her education on the job.

"My knowledge in special education helped me evaluate our school district programs and understand the implications of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to our school district," she says. "The degree also helped me obtain a school ESE resource position at McKeel Academy after sixteen years on the school board. My master's degree enabled me to apply for and receive a principal's position."

As a leader in education, Andrea focuses on helping students acquire the skills they need to succeed.

"What I enjoy the most as principal at McKeel Academy is being with the students and working to make their high-school experience the best that it can be to provide them with the skills they need for their future."

What would she say to a student considering a career in education?

"The advice that I would offer is that anyone interested in teaching and/or administration should do it for the right reason: the love of children and wanting the best for their future."