All Blog Posts

Rooted in Purpose: How Tre’Dessa Smalls Is Shaping Greenville’s Future

Tre'Dessa Smalls comes from a family of servant leaders. Raised in Burgess, South Carolina, a small town just 15 minutes outside Myrtle Beach, Tre’Dessa has never shied away from the issues others overlook: affordable housing,...

Continue Reading

Making Connections through Fridays in the Field

Ask any Master of Science in Innovation and Leadership student about “Fridays in the Field,” and they’ll light up, sharing stories from recent visits to Michelin Innovation Lab, Swamp Rabbit Café and Grocery and Soteria At...

Continue Reading

Becoming a Literacy Leader: Marie’s Story

Early in my teaching career, I was certain I would spend my entire professional life in my own classroom. Even after nineteen years, what I cherish most are the relationships I build with students, especially...

Continue Reading

Rooted and Growing: Shaniece Criss

Shaniece Criss didn’t stumble into public service. It’s something she’s been growing into her entire life. As a child in Greenville, South Carolina, Shaniece’s grandmother told her she would become a public servant. From those...

Continue Reading

The Portfolio Difference: How Furman’s MASD Program Prepares Designers to Stand Out

Grace Van Rij remembers the moment she first heard about the Master of Arts in Strategic Design (MASD). The program first caught her eye during her undergraduate years at Furman. Even without an art background, she immediately knew it was the right fit.   Anne Heaton Sanders knew from an early age...

Continue Reading

Leaning in to Innovation and Leadership: Tara’s Story

Tara Weese has spent her career pouring into others. As a leadership development consultant, business owner, mentor, facilitator, wife, and mom, she showed up fully for everyone around her, which left little room to be...

Continue Reading

Sierra Burns M’29 made headlines at February’s State of the Union for her advocacy of the foster care system

Furman University recently highlighted Sierra Burns M’29, a grad student pursuing her master’s degree in advocacy and social policy. On Feb. 24, Sierra was seated in the gallery in Washington, D.C., next to First Lady...

Continue Reading

Opening Doors with Literacy: Johnna’s Journey

One of the things I most believe in is that literacy opens doors to opportunities and fulfillment in life in ways that few other skills can. It’s true that good reading, writing and speaking are...

Continue Reading

A Professional Certificate That Opened the Door to Graduate School

When Julia Sellers finished her first year with AmeriCorps, she knew she wanted to keep learning and growing as a professional. But she wasn’t sure she was ready to commit to graduate school. A professional...

Continue Reading

Innovating Beyond the Classroom: Ashley’s MSIL Journey

Ashley Dickson-Ellison’s journey into podcasting began as a way to have thoughtful conversations about books. After 17 years in the classroom, most of them spent teaching high school English, Ashley and two fellow teachers launched...

Continue Reading

Why Furman University is the Place to Learn School Leadership

If you’re ready to take your impact beyond the classroom, Furman University’s Master of Arts in Education in School Leadership or Educational Specialist in School Leadership programs are designed to help you lead with confidence...

Continue Reading

Designing Your Own Path: The Personalized Experience of the MASD Program

The Master of Arts in Strategic Design (MASD) program is built on the understanding that every student’s path is unique. Whether balancing full‑time careers, family responsibilities or a desire to accelerate into the design field...

Continue Reading