Oklahoma native Mark Montgomery was already working as a teacher in his home state when fate stepped in. "While working in a local school, I had the opportunity to work with several of the Baylor education faculty on projects that were geared toward middle school students," he says. "Through these programs I got a firsthand look at the research interests and education going on in the Baylor School of Education."

And that was that. Mark applied and was accepted to the School of Education, and is now working toward the newest degree the school has to offer, the Ph.D degree in curriculum and teaching.

He soon learned what many other graduate students already knew; what sets Baylor apart from other schools is "the personal attention that I receive from each professor, and the atmosphere among the students." He says that each and every faculty member is willing to make themselves extremely accessible and shares their expertise, regardless of whether the student has been in their class.

This willingness to help has benefited Mark during his many research projects, which include parent involvement in middle schools, single-gendered education, and the achievement gap in mathematics between elementary and middle school.

The knowledge and experience Mark has gained while at Baylor has made such an impression that he hopes to be able to pass it along to others. "I appreciate the opportunities that Baylor has afforded me and hope that within my own career I can pass on the same philosophies to my future teacher candidates."

After graduation Mark hopes to teach mathematics and general education courses at the university level.