Questions and Answers with Courtney Madison ’09, M.Ed. ’17

Your home: Columbiana, Ala.

What is your profession? Principal, Elvin Hill Elementary School.

What made you choose Montevallo as a school? When I decided that education was what I wanted to pursue, it was almost a no-brainer because Montevallo was the school for teachers. I knew that I wanted to be close to home, but still far enough away where I could still get the college experience.

What makes you passionate about education? I feel like my life’s mission is to serve others and to make a difference in the lives of all I come in contact with, especially those who are marginalized. I want to be that difference for somebody to live out the idea that education really is for all — your background, race, gender or socioeconomic status does not matter.

How has your time at Montevallo helped shape your career in education? I earned my bachelor’s degree in elementary education and then I came back to earn my master’s in instructional leadership. I’m currently enrolled at
UM in the Ed.D. program. Montevallo not only set me up for success through internships and networking, but also established relationships with faculty and staff where, even beyond my time at Montevallo, I felt I could reach out and ask for ideas, mentor interns or anything.

What motivated you to pursue your doctorate? When my time is up in elementary education, I would love to pursue higher education. My dream would be to teach teachers and leaders, and this program is an avenue for me to be able to do that.

How does it feel to be part of Montevallo’s first doctoral program? I’m excited about the opportunity. I was nervous, but it has been a rewarding experience because I’ve already had things in the program that I’ve been able to apply to my role right now. So, it’s not just learning for the future, it’s learning for real time right now.

As you work toward your doctorate, are there any specific areas of education research that you’re interested in? I want education to be equitable. The reality is that we all start playing the game at a different place. Education can equalize that, but sometimes it can perpetuate some of the gaps because everyone starts in the same place with different abilities. I would love to take a deeper dive into what role equitable opportunities, or lack thereof, play in academic achievement and success, and how we can combat that.

How do you balance the responsibilities of being a principal with pursuing your doctorate? I don’t [laughs]. One of my weaknesses is that I have an extremely hard time telling people no, so sometimes I stretch myself so thin because I want to be my best self for everybody else. I’ve had to teach myself that it’s okay to say no. It’s okay to let some things go, and it’s okay if everything is not perfect. I’ve had to be very intentional about my time. I typically dedicate a couple of evenings a week — and sometimes weekends — to the doctoral work. That way I can dedicate time there, but also still try to be a good human to my family and my work too.

Tell us about your family. I’m married to Bobby (we met in our hometown and chose to grow our family there). We have two boys: Brayden is 12 and Bryson is 8. We’re actively involved in our church through music and youth ministries, and we are actively involved in sports — mainly basketball. My husband founded Bobby Madison Basketball in 2010, and he has an annual camp every summer to give back to the community.

Were you a member of any clubs or organizations at Montevallo? I was a member of the Nu Omicron chapter of Delta Sigma Theta. I was also an Orientation Leader, a Purple Side cheerleader and student worker in Admissions.

What advice would you give current students? To be where your feet are and to live in the moment, because time waits for no one. Soak up every part of your experience, whether it’s academic or social, because it only comes around one time. Although mine came around three [laughs].