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Balancing Books and Family Bonds: Educator Earns Doctorate

In Bryce Bennett’s life, family and education are intertwined at every stage.

Earning a doctoral degree is the educational capstone in Bennett’s path from teacher to school administrator. But, along the way, the experience carried deeper meaning because his entire family was part of it.

Bennett and his wife, Autumn, have three children – Bellamy (Bells), 14; Jameson (Jay), 11; and Sullivan (Sully), 9. He kept the family’s close-knit rhythm intact while pursuing his fourth degree, thanks in part to the flexibility of a program delivered online by the University of Arkansas.

“My kids are incredible,” Bennett said. “We have a lot of conversations about life and what they want to get ready for. They got to see me working hard toward something I wanted to accomplish.”

Bennett earned a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership this past spring. He accepted a framed diploma this summer during the Razorbug Diploma Tour, which spotlighted successful students who studied online.

He also credits his older relatives with steering him onto the path to becoming an educator in the first place. Bennett grew up in Judsonia (White County), where his mother, Suzanne Wright Bennett, taught fourth-graders in a gifted and talented education program and was also a librarian. One of his uncles was a principal and superintendent.

“My mom deserves a tremendous amount of credit,” Bennett said. “(Family members) were instrumental in getting me into education.”

 

Razorbug Diploma Tour

His family joined him, along with members of the Conway School District administrative team, for the June 24 ceremony on the pavement in front of the Wampus Cat statue on Prince Street. Kara Lasater, associate professor of educational leadership, presented Bennett’s diploma. The educational leadership program, which includes a master’s degree and specialist degree, is offered by the College of Education and Health Professions.

The little red Volkswagen Beetle – complete with curly tail, razor spine, snout with tusks, and hooves – has toured Arkansas the past four summers, honoring online graduates.

Bennett joined the Conway district as director of programs and accountability in the superintendent's office in 2024. Not long after his Razorbug presentation, he was promoted to assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction.

 

Career Path

Bennett started college at Arkansas State University at Beebe and later transferred to ASU at Jonesboro, marrying Autumn during that time. He earned a bachelor’s degree in social science followed by master’s and specialist’s degrees in educational leadership from ASU over the next six years.

He taught high school in Jonesboro before taking a position as a junior high assistant principal there. The family moved next to Greenbrier in Faulkner County, where Bennett worked as a middle school principal and then as director of teaching and learning. After three years, he accepted a position in nearby Conway.

 

A Family Affair

When Bennett studied, he typically set up his laptop on the kitchen island, surrounded by the movement of family life, rather than tucking himself away in a back office. His wife, children and the family dog, Daisy, moved around in his orbit.

When he needed quiet, he rose at 4:30 a.m. a couple of Saturdays each month to work in his Conway office. By lunchtime, he was ready to head home for family time – whether that meant an afternoon activity or simply relaxing on the couch together watching TV.

At commencement, the family dynamic came full circle. Bennett said he often gives his daughter two thumbs up during volleyball or soccer games – her preferred form of encouragement.

As he approached the stage at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, he spotted her in the stands.

“She gave me the thumbs up for graduation that I usually give her,” Bennett said. “I thought that was cool.”

“They have always seen me working hard but this meant more to them – more than just working hard for a job or money,” he said. “They heard a lot of conversations around the dissertation and got a sense of what I value.”

 

Online Program

Bennett said he wanted a program delivered online that offered significant faculty support, with a strong community aspect. He found both in the U of A’s educational leadership program.

“People told me the U of A program was really good; and, boy, they did not disappoint,” he said. “It felt very collegial in terms of the way we interacted. They were super kind and asked what I was interested in. They were very invested in me outside of a tuition-paying student. Every class felt the same way. You’re going to get a top-tier education.”

One example was his initial hesitation about quantitative statistics.

“A lot of what I do in my current role involves data analysis,” Bennett told Lasater at the diploma presentation. “Coming into the program, I said I don’t know if quantitative studies are something I can pull off, but you made me feel right out of the gate, ‘Hey, I can do this.’ I got the skills I needed at the university to translate into what I’m doing in my day-to-day work.”

He called the doctoral program his best college experience because of faculty support and encouragement from his cohort.

“I put in the work and when I had something workable, they could look at it and give me feedback,” he said. “It might be to take a different direction or give encouragement.”

His dissertation explored novice teacher autonomy and burnout.

“I don’t want any teacher to experience how hard it is and say, ‘I can’t do it,’” he said. “No year is harder than the first one.”

 

Help Available

“I can say my experience at the University of Arkansas – from that first interview all the way down to graduation – I had people that I could pick up the phone and call and get what I needed in terms of support, whether that was, ‘Hey, I'm stuck on this theoretical model. I don't know where to go next,’ to, ‘Hey, I need help with this form,’ or getting something through so that I can graduate.”

“As a student,” Bennett continued, “make sure that you're asking lots of questions, you're seeking help from the network that exists within the University of Arkansas because there are so many people there to serve you as a student and to help make sure that it's a positive experience for you.”