Building on Experience: Katie Swiegart’s Story
Written by:
Wilson College
• Jan 9, 2026
Online degree programs have made pursuing a career in education possible for many passionate professionals. Now, busy parents, working educators, and others can advance their careers with minimal disruption to their daily lives.
Katie Sweigart is one such professional. A recent graduate of Wilson College Online’s Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Early Childhood Education program, she came to the program as both a mother and an assistant teacher with almost 15 years of experience.
“It was such an amazing experience. If I had any issues, I could send an email or make a phone call and it was like within a day that I was getting a response,” Sweigart said. “I never had to go to Wilson, which was very convenient.”
However, convenience wasn’t the only factor that drew Sweigart to Wilson, nor was it the only reason she stayed. Very quickly, she discovered the curriculum was tailored to both her personal and her professional needs and the faculty was committed to her success.
Meeting Students Where They’re At
Sweigart’s primary goal for seeking a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education was becoming a fully certified lead pre-K teacher. In fact, her employer agreed to pay for her education, so she could take on a new opening. She just needed to find an online program that fit her busy schedule.
However, because of Pennsylvania’s rigorous certification standards, Sweigart knew she’d have to choose her program wisely. She’d seen colleagues attend online programs and still have to complete more courses elsewhere.
“People say Pennsylvania’s the most strict state for getting your teaching certificate,” Sweigart continued. “If you get a teaching certification here, you can pretty much take it anywhere and use it.”
Many of Sweigart’s colleagues and teacher friends completed their remaining courses at Wilson. To her, that was a great indication of where she should enroll herself.
“Their degree program is for Pennsylvania. It’s everything that you’ll need for Pennsylvania,” she said, noting that in addition to offering the right courses, Wilson offers workshops in art, music, ethics, and other areas. Prospective teachers in Pennsylvania need to attend different types of workshops depending on which type of certification they’re pursuing.
However, Sweigart already had an associate degree and about 13 years of experience. She was prepared to retake some courses, but she says her advisors at Wilson minimized that scenario.
“That was another great thing about Wilson. They transfer so many credits,” she said. “I was able to transfer about 67 credits for my bachelors. My bachelor’s just took a little over two years.”
Gaining Impactful, Immediately Useful Skills
While Sweigart was very focused on ensuring that she picked an online program that met all of Pennsylvania’s certification requirements, she wasn’t trying to merely fulfill them. She wanted to learn skills she could use to actually enrich her students’ lives.
Despite being an experienced professional already, Sweigart said she learned plenty of new, impactful skills at Wilson.
“I really liked learning about the different assessments that we could use with the kids. It kind of put into perspective why we’re teaching certain things,” she said, highlighting how the cognitive, literacy, and fine motor skills assessments she’s learned have been particularly useful in her Pre-K Counts Program.
Run by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), Pre-K Counts offers free child care to families living below the poverty line. By being able to clearly assess and meet her pre-K students’ needs, Sweigart provides them with a developmental head start that they don’t always get.
Balancing Support and Flexibility
Due to Sweigart’s firsthand experience, much of the B.A. in Early Childhood Education curriculum came quite naturally. However, she found some of her classes a little more challenging. In those moments, though, she always felt empowered to succeed.
“Spanish was really hard for me, so I reached out to Wilson’s student support team,” Sweigart remembered. “The professor ended up reaching out to me and we figured it all out. She gave me a little bit of extra help so I could get back on track where I needed to be.”
Similarly, Sweigart felt more than a little intimidated by the student teaching process. However, by the time it got underway, she felt more like a collaborator than a trainee under scrutiny.
“I was so anxious at first to be observed, but Wendy was great,” Sweigart said, speaking of her supervisor. “She kept communication so open and gave me such good feedback. And then I had a co-op teacher with me who would also do observations and then give feedback.”
Just as important, Sweigart was able to complete her student teaching with her current employer. This, combined with her supervisor’s willingness to come to her and work with her schedule, meant she could maintain a healthy balance between work, school, and life.
Start or Continue Your Own Journey in Early Childhood Education
With support from everyone involved in her education, Sweigart earned her B.A. in Early Childhood Education and her teaching certificate in early 2025. After having such a positive experience, though, she’s decided to continue her professional development at Wilson and earn an online Master of Education (M.E.) in Special Education.
“I took the summer off, but I kind of wanted to get right back into it because I didn’t want to get complacent,” she said. “I wanted to jump on it, so I don’t think I would go to a different school for it.”
Now, Sweigart’s preparing for another certification by taking classes on topics such as trauma and serving students with a wide range of disabilities. However, other than the curriculum, she said not much has changed — she’s still getting the support she received at the bachelor’s level.
With that in mind, Sweigart has one simple piece of advice for anyone wrestling with whether to continue their own teaching education.
“I would say just go for it,” she said. “You do need discipline, but there is so much support offered at Wilson that it’s worth it.”
To find out more about the B.A. in Early Childhood Education program and the support Wilson offers, request more information today.
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