From dermatologist to educator: Master’s student finds her way at USCA

For someone who didn’t initially pursue being a teacher, one USCA alumna is now rather passionate about ensuring local fifth-graders thrive. 

Rachel Weatherford, USCA ’23, double majored in early childhood education and elementary education. While this May she graduates again from USCA with her master’s in educator leadership, she initially wanted a much different career — as a dermatologist. But her high school friend knew better. 

She and her best buddy, Allexus Craig, served in USCA’s Teacher Cadet program at Williston High School. Through this dual-enrollment program, high school juniors and seniors interested in becoming teachers take education classes on campus and participate in activities around the school district that give them a glimpse into the profession. 

While Weatherford enjoyed her time as a teaching cadet, she expected it to be a finite phase in her life. When she applied to USCA, she expected to go into a degree program that would set her up to be a dermatologist. Her friend, Craig, would have no part of it and encouraged her to apply for the Teaching Fellows program instead. 

Teaching Fellows is a continuation of the cadet program aimed at preparing students to become educators. Through the program, students receive scholarships and are empowered with experiences in classrooms throughout the county, giving education majors additional tools to succeed in their own classrooms after graduation. 

Weatherford resisted, but Craig persisted, and when she would not apply for the program, her friend surreptitiously submitted Weatherford’s application. 

 

A new pathway 

Ultimately, Weatherford was selected for the highly competitive Teaching Fellows program and changed her major — and the course for her life. 

Not only did Weatherford immerse herself in the education program and all it has to offer, but she also embraced the college experience.  

At first, she was a bit reluctant. Her freshman year, she thought she’d just sit back and take it all in, watching as others found their niche and thrived on campus. Her sophomore year, she couldn’t sit still and watch from the sidelines any longer. She wanted to live it, so she jumped right in. 

Weatherford became an engaged leader on campus. She found her own social niche and her soulmate, right in the Student Activities Center. She and her boyfriend, Diego Sojo, worked for Student Life. While they were good friends and colleagues as undergraduates, they’ve become much closer now. In fact, they’ve been dating for the last two years. 

“He’s my rock,” she said. 

Weatherford credits USCA with giving her the foundation she needed to thrive after graduation.  

She had the degree and internship experiences to help her get started in the classroom, but some of the skills she learned from being involved as an undergrad also served her well. 

“I knew exactly what to do on my first day in my own classroom, thanks to the lessons in classroom management and other things I learned as an undergraduate,” Weatherford said. 

“I also learned skills I use every day when I interact with parents and students — time management, accountability, and how to make connections, be a leader, communicate with people who think differently than I do, disagree respectfully, and manage conflict.” 

After graduation, she taught third grade at J.D. Lever Elementary School but transitioned this year to East Aiken School of the Arts. That’s where she did her internship as an undergraduate and that’s where her passion for teaching really sparked. She says it’s good to be “home.”   

“I love my students. They are a good group, willing to help each other and me. We have involved parents, and everyone wants to work together: the parents, our administration and the students,” Weatherford said. 

Becoming a role model 

Now that she’s a seasoned educator, she wouldn’t — couldn’t — dream of doing anything else. 

Weatherford is committed to ensuring her students not only strengthen their math skills and increase their scientific knowledge but also become respectful and responsible citizens within the classroom and community. 

She holds them accountable as she instills respect for others, civility and shared roles and responsibilities. With her leadership, the group of 36 students transforms from a disassociated, sometimes apathetic group of individuals on the first day of class into a cohesive group that shares connections and compassion for all members as the school year progresses. 

“I have to model what I want them to take away, like how to properly respond when you’re angry, how to become more sensitive to others in any situation, how to manage stress, how to treat others with kindness and how to speak nicely to one another,” Weatherford said. 

She does this by caring for each student wholistically. For example, she has a special area of her classroom where students can take what they need without being visible to others. The necessity basket might include toothbrushes, deodorant, school supplies, hair ties, brushes, combs, and other personal items they may need to succeed and feel good about themselves.  

“I’m not there just to teach. I wear different hats and want to be what they need for me to be, whether that’s teacher, nurse, or mom. I meet them where they are and let them be themselves,” Weatherford said. 

“We laugh. We have fun. We learn. Their brains are trying to understand the world and their role in it. I want to create a positive culture where it’s OK to make mistakes, it’s OK to disagree, and we can have difficult conversations when we need to.” 

A ‘firecracker’ keeps going 

Not long after graduation, her boyfriend encouraged her to apply for the USCA master’s program in educator leadership, which will not only help Weatherford in her current role as a fifth-grade math and science teacher, but also positions her for additional leadership opportunities within the school system.  

It’s a completely online, two-year program that provided Weatherford the flexibility she needed to continue her education and obtain an advanced degree. 

“I started my master’s in the Fall of 2024,” Weatherford said. “It was an easy transition. I knew all the professors, and they always made themselves available to me.” 

Throughout the pursuit of her master’s, the principal of East Aiken School of the Arts, Lisa Fallaw, also played an important part in her journey. 

“She guided me throughout the entire experience. She has served as my mentor and has helped me understand the purpose behind the coursework and how it connects to real-world school leadership. She also continues to model effective leadership practices and demonstrates what it means to successfully run a school,” Weatherford said. 

Fallaw was integral to Weatherford’s undergraduate experience, too, as she was the principal at East Aiken when Weatherford completed her initial internship there. 

“She has been a consistent source of support and continues to play an important role in professional growth and development,” Weatherford said.  

Fallaw refers to Weatherford as a “firecracker.” 

“If I’m the firecracker, she is the spark that helps this firecracker light up the sky,” Weatherford said. 

Research focus 

Fallaw and Dr. Bridget Colemen, USCA professor of education and Weatherford’s graduate advisor and mentor, worked closely with Weatherford on her research project.  

Their collaboration is one of the reasons the students in Weatherford’s fifth-grade class are vested in themselves and others. Weatherford’s research focuses on chronic absenteeism and will soon be submitted to the South Carolina Association of School Administrators as published research in hopes that others will investigate chronic absenteeism.  

“Absenteeism is an issue that really affects my students. There’s not a day goes by where everyone is present,” Weatherford said. “This has future implications for these students. Not only are they missing important instruction, but they could be forming habits that might be hard to reverse. As adults, they may not go to work.” 

The inspiration for this research came from Weatherford’s students who are chronically absent, missing at least 10 percent of the school year. With the approval of the Aiken County Public School District and the permission of parents, her students and their families contributed to her research, which took a critical look at absenteeism. 

“I explained that I was working on my master’s and that I needed students’ help to be part of the research by attending class and being on time,” Weatherford said. “They started working as a class to help us reach our goal of 100 percent attendance. Parents participated, too, and helped a lot.” 

Before she started her research, she received few, if any, written excuses for absences or tardies from parents, but by the end of the effort, attendance was up and also routinely received notes from parents. 

“I included some incentives that the students truly cared about and not only did attendance improve, but so did students’ grades. We made significant strides.” 

She plans to continue working on her findings so the research might be published. One day, she hopes that, with the help of her master’s degree, she can become an instructional coach or instructional software developer. 

Until then, she’s focused on helping her students thrive academically and personally. And when Weatherford receives her master’s academic regalia on May 6, celebrating alongside her family, friends and fellow alum/beaux will be several enthusiastic fifth-graders cheering her on.  

After all, they’ve made sure she, too, thrives and achieves her academic goals — just like she does for them. 

Weatherford says she feels as strongly about the university as she does her students. 

“I love USCA. I love the family aspect of the campus, where everyone knows each other. I encourage everyone to get involved while on campus. You will learn so many different perspectives, meet different people and create a social and professional network of fellow grads and alumni.” 

Weatherford’s accomplishments at USCA 

• Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority
• Robert E. Alexander Hall of Fame   
• South Carolina Infant Mental Health Association Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Foundations Certificate 
• South Carolina Infant Mental Health Association Certification
• USCA Leadership Certificate
• Greek Woman of the Year  
• Outstanding Senior for Elementary Education
• President’s and Dean’s Lists
• LIFE Scholarship
• H. Mac Johnston Leadership Award
• Pacesetter 
• SCCTM Math Conference Speaker - Presented “Even and Oddville”
• CHAARG (Changing Health, Attitudes, and Actions to Recreate Girls)
• Teaching Fellows
• Teacher Cadet
• Palmetto State Teachers Association
• South Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children

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