The Ripple Effect: GSE Alum Strives to Transform Education

New Jersey’s education system is consistently ranked among the top in the nation according to the U.S. News and World Report. Dr. John Bird, a recent graduate of the Rutgers Graduate School of Education (GSE), dedicates his career to ensuring the state remains a great place for educators to work.   

“There’s something special about having the opportunity to impact young people and form relationships,” Dr. Bird said. “I can attribute any success I’ve had over the years to my education, and therefore, I want to enable kids, especially those with lesser means, to have opportunities through education.” 

With an interest in leadership from a practical standpoint, Dr. Bird’s future ambitions include becoming a superintendent and potentially working for the New Jersey State Board of Education or the Department of Education.  

“Being born and raised in New Jersey, I’ve always been a big fan of Rutgers,” he said. “The credentials of a doctorate from Rutgers would help position me for those higher roles when the time comes.”  

Dr. Bird completed his first master’s at Rutgers Newark before entering the Ed.D. in Education, Culture, and Society program at the GSE. He wanted a program that emphasized equity in education—the GSE program was the perfect fit.  

Dr. Bird’s commitment to earning his degree was put to the test after he started the program in May 2020, just two months into the COVID-19 pandemic. The GSE community became his support system, he said, cheering him on and guiding his education. Despite the challenging, unfamiliar learning environment for Dr. Bird’s cohort, they were able to celebrate their personal wins together through the screen.  

“We hadn’t really seen people outside of our families due to the lockdown,” Dr. Bird said. “Taking the same classes in the same order with most of my cohort gave us students the opportunity to become a support system for each other academically, socioemotionally, and really become a lifeline for one another in a lot of ways. They even celebrated with me when I got my new job and when my kids were born.” 

As the program progressed, life circumstances compelled Dr. Bird to take his classes out of order, disrupting his learning and leading him to seriously consider not completing his doctoral dissertation.  

“These thoughts fed into the impostor syndrome I had since the beginning, but I decided to keep pushing through. When I received feedback on my thesis from Dr. Benjamin Justice prior to beginning my dissertation work, it finally felt like validation that I was meant to be here,” Dr. Bird said.  

As a self-described lifelong procrastinator, Dr. Bird said he struggled to complete his dissertation on time. 

“I owe my advisor Dr. Judith Harrison the world because she signaled that I had to get something done,” Dr. Bird said. “When I received the results of my dissertation, I was overwhelmed with pride and relief. I even shed a tear. It was a huge moment for me, and the guidance of my professors made it all possible.” 

Dr. Bird has served as the vice principal of Keansburg High School in Monmouth County for the past three years, but he has witnessed the impact education has on students ever since he began teaching at the school in 2014.  

“I received notes from students after graduation thanking me for conversations we had that helped them push through,” Dr. Bird said. “I just hired two of my former students to come work at the school with me as teachers. If you go into education to help people change the trajectory of their lives and you see that become a reality, it’s a really special thing.” 

Looking forward, Dr. Bird said he wants to ensure that his work can positively impact the community. 

“There’s something meaningful about wearing the ‘R’ with pride. It carries a certain esteem,” he said. “As someone who hires educators, the ones who have been through the GSE for a master’s program in teaching are always quality candidates.” 

With his GSE degree as a foundation, Dr. Bird said he is focused on expanding his impact—whether by influencing critical issues like teacher pay and school funding or by mentoring the next generation of educators as an adjunct instructor.  

“I want to be in a position where my decisions create lasting, positive changes in schools,” he said. “Teaching is more challenging than ever, but I’m committed for the long haul. This isn’t just a job—it’s my calling.”