Matt Scanlon G'24

“I'm from Haverhill, Massachusetts. I went to a private Catholic school from preschool through eighth grade and then went to public high school at Haverhill High. I wouldn't say I was a remarkable student. I got by, maybe a little more than by the skin of my teeth, but I certainly wasn't in honors or AP classes.

“I had thought about going into education, but I decided to go into marketing thinking I would potentially make more money with that career choice. I went to a private college in Vermont for one semester, and I knew right away. I hated business. I hated marketing. I was like, I can't do this for the rest of my life.

“I deferred my acceptance to Westfield State and worked on core credits at Northern Essex before starting at Westfield State as a history major with a focus on education. During my undergraduate studies, I spent time in a Special Ed classroom. I had gotten a summer job at a local summer camp and met a camper with autism, and I thoroughly enjoyed working with him. Despite enjoying history, I felt more drawn to Special Ed. 

“That's when I started looking into DESE-approved programs for special ed teacher licensure. Bay Path was certainly the most appealing in terms of just looking at their website, how the program worked, and honestly, the cost was not exceptional. It was pretty equivalent to state school tuition.

“It was Friday night classes and then all day Saturday, which looking back is crazy to think that I pulled that off for two years. It was all in person and I loved every bit of it, but it was a lot. I had to take the MTELs a handful of times. I struggled with a couple of them. I had a really good experience with a mentor who would come out to Haverhill and observe me in the classroom.

“I lost a lot of weekends, but I think it was worth it because I was able to immediately apply what I was learning in my daily practice.

“Bay Path courses are designed so meticulously that everything builds on itself within the course and within the program. In addition to the readings, it's incredibly up-to-date and research-based. The texts have been wonderful. I buy almost every single book, as much as I can because they've all been so relevant.

“I taught for 9 years in that classroom that I was initially hired for and then I was approached by the special ed director at the time. She asked me if I wanted to be the teacher for our postgraduate program for students ages 18 to 22.

“At that point I was kind of between being an administrator and a teacher because I was guiding and supporting teachers and administrators with transition-related issues. I said I wonder if I should go and be an administrator and get some certificate degree.

“I applied and got into Bay Path’s EdS program in special education. It started right as COVID hit. One of our first classes was the week that schools closed in Massachusetts. So that was certainly an experience for a number of reasons. We were all educators and going through everything at the same time.

“I was not sure how I was personally going to be received because [at the time] undergrad was all female and graduate was coed. I think there were two other gentlemen in my master's program. In the special ed administrator program, I was the only boy. Still, I was able to build that cohort.

“We've actually been in the same group texts for three or four years at this point. I certainly would say that I built relationships. One person in particular is going to be a close friend for the rest of my life, which is interesting because we've actually never met.

“I got an email probably several months after finishing the program from the program coordinator who had been my mentor. 

“It was a doctorate program that Bay Path had started for K-12. Special ed, or not special ed, K-12 administrators. It would be accelerated, completely online, a two year program. And they gave us a 25%, stay on the track, award.

“At that point I trusted Bay Path completely because I had had two fantastic experiences. The professors have all been amazing and supportive and I'm shocked but I'm presenting my dissertation next Friday.

“It is in the procedural notification of the transfer of parental rights to students with disabilities. So when a student turns 18, it doesn't matter if they're neurotypical, neurodiverse, severe, or low-incidence, all educational decision-making transfers to a student at age 18. My study focused on notifying parents and students of the upcoming transfer when the student's approaching the age of majority.

“It was a complete culmination of everything because it’s heavily focused on special administrative procedures and the transition to adulthood. So my transition work from UMass Boston applied, my work as a special-ed administrator and that degree applied. 

“I wanted to be able to tackle more district-wide challenges. I mean, that's why I went into administration because I felt like I could have more of an impact than being in one classroom hidden away in a school. I knew I'd be able to impact more schools, more students, and staff, and I feel that I have been able to do that.

“I know that someday I would like to be a director of special ed. I don't know how soon I would like that because it's a complex field. I've been in the same district for 15 school years, it’s where I grew up and where I went to high school, so I don't want to leave.

“I know that I have a lot of great ideas, and I could contribute a lot. So it's something that's on the radar. I'll know the right time when it comes. 

“I think that Bay Path has probably the best professors out there. Everyone was a retired special ed director or actively in special ed administration in the last program. It’s just been really fantastic. I can't say that I've been disappointed with any of the professors I've ever had.

“I plan on inviting my mentor from my Masters and my EDS to the dissertation presentation next week. And I made sure that I put them in the acknowledgment section because I don't think I'd be here without them.”—Matt Scanlon G’24