"I wanted a master's degree but, again, could not work commuting into my schedule," she said. That's when she found herself back at USC Sumter. Not only did she begin her teaching career, she made it her mission to teach every grade level, including the hearing-impaired class.Įdwards wanted to continue to grow in the field, so after several years in the classroom, she decided to pursue a career in counseling. "I was so excited to start teaching and wanted to experience everything involved with students and the classroom," Edwards said. In only three years, she earned her Elementary Education degree at USC Sumter. Each semester they would gather 15-20 students who needed education courses and the faculty and staff would find ways to accommodate them.Įdwards and her fellow students went to class at night and throughout the summer to finish their degrees. Craig was so encouraging and would make classes happen for us in Sumter if we found enough students to attend," Edwards said. Because the campus was small, they formed relationships with professors like Ellen Arl and Lee Craig that would prove valuable for many years. "Being young and married with small children made the idea of commuting for college almost impossible."Īfter researching some options, Edwards and a small group of others found their way to USC Sumter. "At the time, the only way for me to earn a degree was to take night classes," Edwards said. With encouragement from professors at the University of South Carolina Sumter and self-motivation, Edwards was able to bring her dream to fruition and impact the lives of hundreds of students and fellow teachers along the way. While she loved working directly with children, she had already set her sights on goals of teaching and, eventually, administration. "I had this passion for teaching and wanted to jump right in."Įdwards decided to try out the education field by working as a teacher's aide at Millwood Elementary School in Sumter. "It was difficult in the early 70s to have a family and a career," Edwards said. Sumter, SC () - Vicky Edwards always knew she wanted to teach.
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