{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Longwood GradCast - Beyond the Degree","title":"More Than Words: A Literacy Advocate's Path to Meaningful Change","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2749,"description":"In this episode of Longwood GradCast: Beyond the Degree, host Dr. Sarah Tanner-Anderson sits down with Maria Hamilton (‘21), a Student Success Coordinator at Longwood University whose educational journey is marked by resilience, reinvention, and a hearty dose of humor. From her early days teaching and coaching in Virginia to her graduate studies in Longwood’s Reading, Literacy, and Learning (RLL) program, Maria’s story is one of lifelong learning—and the joyful chaos that often accompanies it.\n\nMaria reflects on being part of the first graduating class of a new program at WVU and the cross-state move that set her and her husband on a new professional path. Along the way, she balanced graduate school, career transitions, and raising three kids—all while navigating the realities of education during a global pandemic. With signature wit, she recounts detours into baking, family swim meets, and “not best practices” in teaching that she quickly outgrew.\nA central theme of the conversation is literacy—not just as an academic subject, but as a lifelong foundation. Maria shares how Longwood’s RLL program re-ignited her passion for literacy education, deepened her understanding of reading development, and gave her the tools to support learners across age groups. She and Dr. Anderson discuss how the pandemic spotlighted the critical need for strong literacy instruction, and Maria’s enthusiasm shines through as she shares stories of students' lightbulb moments and her belief that literacy begins in kindergarten and echoes throughout life.\nNow in her role as Student Success Coordinator, Maria brings her RLL training to higher education in unexpected ways. She jokes that the job is a form of “incredible wizardry,” helping students rediscover skills they once felt confident in. Every success story is a point of pride, and Maria likens each to a magnet she’d proudly display on her imaginary office fridge.\nThe episode also highlights Maria’s impact beyond the classroom. From...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/-Jp_7WohE_sbFyX8eFv54szFUXHyZ0PZGda5svIsH1s/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzQ3MDI4LzE3MDAz/ODcwNTUtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}