Dr. Cassady...

...is my new name! On Friday, April 22nd four years of hard work were boiled down to a 30 minute nerve-wracking presentation given to a committee of 5 of my professors, who, at the conclusion of the hour and a half meeting decided my academic fate. Thankfully they showed mercy to me and signed a most precious piece of paper that declared me Allison Cassady, Ph.D. After spending 24 of my 31 years of life as a student my backpack has officially been retired. If you would like to read 202 pages of hard hitting research let me know, but for now I will leave you with my acknowledgements as that was really the only interesting part!

When I began seeking this degree, I was blind to the many blessings that awaited me during its pursuit. This doctorate has been a joint effort through the help of many supporters, counselors, guides, and cheerleaders to whom I could never adequately express my thanks.

· To my husband, Scott, your unwavering love and support have allowed me to reach the finish line. Thank you for your unabashed optimism and faith in me.

· To my sweet Leo, you were quite an unexpected blessing, one that I never imagined I’d receive when I was beginning this journey. But it is in your precious eyes that I found my determination.

· To my parents, you have always had confidence in me, you have always supported me, and most needed, you have always loved me. Thank you for these gifts that have allowed me to find and achieve all that I want in life. This would not have been possible without you.

· To Dr. Sherry Field, thank you for being a constant source of encouragement and direction through these past four years. I greatly appreciate the answers to my numerous questions, the attention to detail, and the constant source of wisdom you provided.

· To Dr. Keffrelyn Brown, Dr. Louis Harrison, Dr. Dan Robinson, and Dr. Cinthia Salinas, thank you for your guidance, encouragement, and support both in the courses you taught and through this dissertation process.

· To my family and friends, your gift of love, support, laughter, and encouragement aided me along the way.

· To my brother, Bryan, thank you for leading by example.

· To Michelle Bauml, thank you for lending an ear, giving advice, and answering my many questions.

· To my five lovely participants, Chloe, Eva, Kara, Lisa, and Morgan, you were an absolute pleasure to work with. Thank you for being the inspiration and driving force of this work and for making me strive to be a better teacher.