Ewarja Hinton ’21MED: ‘Throughout This Program, I Gained Knowledge, Skills and Experience to Help Me Both Personally and Professionally’

Ewarja Hinton ’21MED fell in love with education several years ago as a teacher assistant for an elementary school class. Now, as a supervisor, she has earned her Master of Education in training and development to create training programs to help her employees better learn and prepare for their own careers. 

Learn more about Ewarja Hinton

Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina

Area of Study: M.Ed. in Training and Development

Activities: Young Adult Ministry leader at Springfield Baptist Church, interview prep, resume review, arts and crafts, event planning and traveling.

Why did you choose the NC State College of Education? 

In search of an online program, I chose NC State for several reasons. First, the program provided the convenience I needed, being a 100 % online platform. Also, a coworker of mine was highlighted on the website. I reached out to him to learn more about his experience in the Master of Training and Development degree program, and he provided rave reviews. Lastly, I did not want to be left out of the Pack. Both of my brothers and my sister-in-law all graduated from NC State.

Why did you choose your area of study?

Learning taught by talented instructors who are passionate professionals helps improve employee retention. Training and development has always been my passion. I wanted a more in-depth understanding of adult learning theories, how to improve human performance, how to properly design training programs and to gain the knowledge required to be successful.

What do you hope to accomplish in your field after graduation?

I hope to successfully implement the different authoring tools needed to create training programs. My hope is that I have become a better supervisor as a result of completing this program. Lastly, in the Methods and Techniques of Training and Development course, we created a training program. Creating an actual training course in an area my employees have struggled with throughout my career provided me the certitude I needed to help revamp our training department. I hope to help transform the way we train our employees to increase productivity and performance, leading to higher employee retention and helping them prepare for the next level.

What’s your next step? What do you have planned after graduation?

I plan to continue my studies and receive my certificate in human resources. Eventually, I plan to open my own consulting firm, assisting local businesses with the different learning and development skills needed to attract top talent, strengthen internal weakness, increase employees’ skills, boost morale and increase customer satisfaction.

How has the College of Education prepared you for that next step?

It takes work and determination to achieve an advanced degree. It’s a good sign to employers when employees take the initiative to increase our knowledge. Throughout this program, I gained knowledge, skills and experience to help me both personally and professionally. My soft skills in areas such as communication, decision-making, creativity, teamwork, critical thinking and problem-solving have increased significantly. I have increased my self-confidence as a professional. Learning about performance improvement plans, how to properly write a project plan, how to determine the difference between skill and will and so on has helped increase my confidence as a professional. Vast confidence can lead to greater career advancement.

Do you have a favorite memory from your time in the College of Education?

In our society, we do not always hear or see about acts of kindness. Right before the pandemic, I had major surgery. This surgery fell in the middle of the semester, and during that time, I was assigned a group project. One of my group members, Christie Long, reached out to me several times to check on me and asked if there was anything I needed during that time. She will probably never know how much I appreciate her kindness for taking time out of her busy schedule to think of me and offer a hand to practically a stranger. 

Tell us about an experience you had with the College of Education that had the biggest impact on you or your career.

[Adjunct Assistant Professor] Pooneh Lari is the first person who came to mind when answering this question. I can admit I struggled a bit in the beginning of her of course. We scheduled a meeting via Zoom, and she explained everything I needed to know to complete the assignment. She did not stop there. She followed up with me throughout the semester and provided me with the tools needed to be successful in her course. I would be remiss if I did not shout out Dr. [Whitney] White and Dr. [Donna] Petherbridge, who were also very instrumental in my success throughout this program.

Why did you choose education?

Several years ago, I worked as a teacher assistant in a first/second grade combination class. From the moment I walked into the classroom, I fell in love with education. I worked with three students daily to increase their vocabulary, word pronunciation and the speed in which they read. Witnessing their eyes light up week after week and telling them they passed was priceless. Hard work and determination always pay off in the end.