Jennifer L. Collins, EdD ('01 MEd)

Tell us about yourself.
My dad worked in oil and gas while I was growing up, so we lived in several Texas regions following the oil and gas business. I graduated from high school in the Houston area and then earned my Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from East Texas Baptist University. After graduating from UTA, my husband and I moved to Greenville, Texas, and I worked in Sunnyvale ISD. We then moved to the Austin area where I worked in Leander ISD for 19 years. I have been married to my husband, Jason, for 28 years. He is a family pastor in Southlake. We have three children. Our older son, Anderson, attends Dallas Baptist University; our two youngest children, Hogan and Ella, will be a junior and freshman at Keller High School.

Why did you choose to attend UTA?
My husband and I lived in Fort Worth from 1998-2001 where he attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. I am someone who has always liked learning new things, so I decided to apply to UTA to work on my master’s degree at the same time he was in school. I was teaching in east Fort Worth at the time, so driving over to UTA for evening classes after work was very convenient. I really appreciated the opportunities our MEd cohort had to work in Arlington ISD schools as a part of our learning. I was also excited about the prospect of online learning (back in 1999 when this was super-new). Fun fact: my husband and I graduated with our master’s degrees the same weekend in 2001!

What attracted you to school administration and advanced degrees in education?
I was lucky to get to work with educational leaders who encouraged me to accept leadership positions very early in my career. From helping to organize a campus-wide intervention program to volunteering in an after-school program, I was given opportunities to grow and learn. I always wanted to go back to school to earn my doctorate, but because I was so busy as a working mom, the time never seemed right. So, when my oldest son started high school, I decided that I wanted to earn my doctorate before he graduated from high school. I graduated two weeks prior to his high school graduation.

Describe your UTA experience. How did UTA help prepare you for your career?
I was a part of one of the very first cohorts of UTA students using online learning platforms. I loved being part of the cohort and attending some of my classes in person, getting to know other students face-to-face, and then figuring out the online learning platform together. We didn’t have laptops back then, so we would go over to each other’s houses to sit next to the computer and figure out virtual learning together. 

Describe your path to deputy superintendent. What have you learned along the way?
After graduating from UTA, I was hired as the first-ever curriculum coordinator in Sunnyvale ISD. At that time, Sunnyvale was a K-8 district, so I got to partner with Mesquite ISD to help our students transition well to the Mesquite HS campus. I worked in that position for a few years until my husband accepted a job in the Austin area. Moving in the middle of a school year is tricky, but I was excited to get to work in Taylor ISD as their Reading First grant coordinator for the remainder of the year. I then moved to Leander ISD where I worked for 19 years. I started in Leander as a language arts facilitator, then became the reading improvement and dyslexia coordinator.

"It's important for recent graduates to keep looking for opportunities to say 'yes' to leadership opportunities."

When my boss retired, I was offered the position of executive director of elementary curriculum, and ultimately the assistant superintendent of curriculum. When my husband accepted a new job in Southlake in 2022, we moved our family to Keller. During the transition, I worked as a director of student services in Northwest ISD, and then as the assistant superintendent for education services in Highland Park ISD. I am very excited to get to work with the Arlington community serving AISD in the role of deputy superintendent.

Along the way, I’ve learned that leadership is about forming interdependent relationships with campus and district leaders, parents, and students. Only by using the collective knowledge and skill of the bigger team with different backgrounds will we be able to solve the most complex problems. We are better together!

Can you share any defining moments in your career that inspired you to continue your work?
One of my favorite things about my educational leadership is growing capacity in other leaders. I am thankful for the many educators who have poured into my journey, and it is super rewarding to see co-workers take on new leadership responsibilities. My favorite moments are those when educational leaders who I’ve mentored get to serve in new leadership positions. Growing new leaders is inspiring and rewarding.

What's one lesson you learned at UTA that has stayed with you still today?
Because I was a part of the first virtual learning cohort, I learned that we need each other to solve complex problems. Online learning seems intuitive now, but in 1999, it was brand new and had lots of stumbling blocks. But, investing in the struggle and figuring out complex issues together helps us all grow stronger.

What message do you have for the next generation of UTA graduates?
It’s good to have goals, and work towards outcomes, but sometimes those goals seem far away, and the journey becomes overwhelming. I think it’s important for recent graduates to keep looking for opportunities to say “yes” to leadership opportunities and take each day one at a time. Then, hold on for the journey.