Lori Schneider is a doctoral student in the College of Education as well as the principal of Kiker Elementary in Austin. As a young teacher at Summitt Elementary, Schneider discovered and cultivated her talent of working with ADHD students and emotionally 
disturbed students. Using high expectations and positive reinforcement, Schneider created an environment where the students were empowered and supported, and where they learned to support each other.
It was there that Linda Classen (then the 504 coordinator, whose role it is to provide students with disabilities equal access to educational programs, services, and activities) learned about Schneider and began to invite her to speak at conferences, including CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) and TEPSA (Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association). Schneider went on to speak both statewide and nationally about working successfully with students with disabilities.
Eventually, Linda Classen and her husband Nick offered to pay for Schneider to get her Ed.D. from The University of Texas. They called it “an investment with large returns.” Schneider’s research and dissertation will focus on principals’ effect on creating a climate and culture that embraces a diversity of learners.
What's the best piece of advice you've been given in graduate school?
Do your readings. It will allow you to be much more prepared when for class and when you write your comps.
Who or what has been most inspirational in your field of study and why?
Linda Classen. Linda Classen believed in me when I was a classroom teacher. She saw specific talents I had and encouraged me to pursue a Master’s Degree. She also introduced me to the world of consulting by taking me with her when she spoke. It is because of her that I have been afforded the great experience of speaking all over the state of Texas.
Linda and her husband Nick Classen have always believed in me, and they were the ones who paid for me to come to UT to get my doctorate. They tell me I can change the world. If someone tells you that enough, you tend not only to believe it, but to strive to make it happen. I know I would not be where I am today without their love and support.
What's the most challenging part of grad school for you and how do you mitigate or overcome it?
Balancing full time job of being principal, UT workload, and, until she died at the age of 99, getting Granny out of the nursing home once weekly.
What advice do you have for people entering graduate school?
Be ready and willing to give up social life, yet enter a different type of social life and a very special family atmosphere at the same time.
What was your favorite toy or game as a child and what did you learn from it?
Lincoln logs. You can build whatever you want but sometimes you have to be creative and gather materials that aren’t in the box. You can always modify, add, or start over. You can let someone help you but then you must be ready to compromise, and sometimes two heads are better than one.
What is your dream job after graduation?
Consultant and an author. Maybe even a Superintendent.
What do you want your degree to mean?
That anything is possible if you set your mind to it. Dream big, approach your goals with a great, can-do attitude and the sky is the limit. I want my degree to be just one more tool I can use to affect change, people’s lives, and our future: KIDS. With a doctorate I will be able to take my belief in kids to the next level, reaching thousands of children and families. I believe that all children are special needs learners; all children are gifted, and all children deserve an education that will afford them opportunities to excel beyond their wildest dreams.
Q & A by Elisabeth McKetta, February 2008
