Gary Udouj fell in love with adult education while teaching in a prison in Tacoma, Washington, in 1996, where he saw firsthand that it was "never too late for education to change someone's life for the better."

"It was so rewarding to work with these adults and see how education could provide a second chance for them," he said.

But turning that passion into a career would require more than the bachelor's degree he'd earned from the University of Arkansas. So he returned to his alma mater to earn master's and doctoral degrees, credentials that helped launch his career in adult education culminating in his current position as director of career education and district innovation with Fort Smith Public Schools.

"My graduate degrees were critical to my career advancement," Udouj said. "When the school district was looking for someone to head up the new Career and Technical Education Center, they were absolutely looking for someone with advanced degrees and experience in adult education, educational leadership and career education. So, my graduate degree was one of the keys to me getting this position."

The foundation for his eventual success began years earlier, when Udouj decided to return to the U of A for his master's degree. Even though he lived in Washington at the time, Udouj chose the U of A due to his positive experience as an undergraduate coupled with the fact that the university offered a master's degree in adult education. He took classes at night while working full-time, earning the degree in just a year.

"As a working professional, I feel like the U of A program was able to fit my schedule because of the way the classes are offered," he said. "I liked that I was able to do it in person and online. I had great instructors who took the time to get to know me and what my schedule and life was like. I felt it was all very personal."

After graduating with his master's in 1998, Udouj taught English as a Second Language for more than a decade both in the United States and abroad. At the Fort Smith Adult Education Center, he worked with Hispanic and Asian populations to become not only proficient in English but also acclimated to the culture in the United States and the "unwritten rules of education."

When he was promoted to director of adult education at Fort Smith Public Schools, Udouj saw the need to continue his education by earning a certificate in educational leadership from the U of A. Those credits also counted toward a doctoral degree, which Udouj pursued in adult and lifelong learning and proved to be invaluable to him in his new leadership role.

"It helped me to be able to look at policy, helped with my leadership skills and helped to understand school law, but it also helped me with becoming a better advocate for adult education and the need for it in Arkansas," he said.

It also prepared him for his current role, where he oversees career and technical education programming for more than 14,000 students in Fort Smith Public Schools, offered primarily through the Peak Innovation Center, a $20 million facility where students develop real-world skills and earn industry-specific certifications.

"Because they were a combination of educational leadership and adult and lifelong learning, I think the graduate degrees I got were the perfect mix for me," he said. "I was exposed to the K-12 world and adult and lifelong learning world, and when you put those two together, that's what the career and technical education looks like. We're dealing with 11th and 12th graders for concurrent credit but also offering technical training for incumbent workers or underemployed workers to help them move into better-paying jobs."

For Udouj, the structure and support of the U of A's graduate programs made pursuing advanced degrees both manageable and meaningful.

"When I did my master's degree, I came and went full time. But when I came back, I was married with a full-time job, but it was still manageable. And it was worth the extra effort."