#WhyIChoseEducation: Bryan Martin

As part of Celebrating 90 Years of NC State Education, we asked you to share your stories of why you chose education and why you love the NC State College of Education. Below is one of the many stories we received demonstrating how we’re leading the way in education in North Carolina and beyond.

Name: Bryan Martin
Graduation Year: 1997
Program: Doctor of Education
Career Role & Responsibilities:  Senior Director for Employee Relations, Wake County Public School System

Why did you enter the field of education?
I was raised on the family farm in Johnston County. My parents, neither of which had a college degree, emphasized to me that the most important responsibilities for a person of characterwere to seek to better oneself and to take every opportunity to serve others. These two important precepts converged to lead me to a career in education. I was always driven by my innate curiosity to seek to learn more. And what better way could I serve others than helping them do the same? I enjoy working with people and knew that spending time with students would be a fulfilling experience.

Why did you choose to earn your degree from the NC State College of Education?
While NC State did not have an undergraduate program in my field of study (music education), I was drawn to the University for my doctoral studies for two reasons. First, and foremost, NC State was well-known for high quality graduate programs in education. The instructors were practitioners who held high standards for their students. The second reason was my love of all things Wolfpack, having been an avid fan of the athletic teams since the early 1970’s. Go Pack!