Student Spotlight - Kaitlin Inman

After losing her mother and a dear friend, Kaitlin Inman faced heartbreak that changed everything. In her search for healing, she returned to school, where A&M-Texarkana’s Bachelor of Science in Leadership program became a path to purpose and new beginnings. 

“Since starting my journey at A&M-Texarkana, I have been very blessed in my career life. I’m a self-employed editor, publisher, and published author.” 

When she was four years old, her mother asked Kaitlin and her brother to create a character. Her mother would then share bedtime stories featuring their character creation. “That was the night Waddleton the Water Dragon was born,” Kaitlin reflected. “I was so enthralled that I asked for a new Waddleton story every night for years after. In fact, the beloved character never left my heart. I promised my mom as a young teen that I would publish Waddleton one day.” 

Kaitlin kept true to her promise. “I have two of my own books published and a working Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum for public schools that go hand in hand with Waddleton's books. Additionally, I'm currently working on a third book in “The Wondrous Tales of Waddleton” series,” Kaitlin shared. “Waddleton serves as a tool for elementary school staff to help children overcome the everyday challenges that childhood brings. It’s vibrantly illustrated to capture the attention of young children, while supporting their social-emotional development.” 

Through Kaitlin’s journey in the B.S. in Leadership program, she gained valuable knowledge and skills through the online coursework, but she also experienced priceless personal growth. “The program takes you through your own past—a journey in which you view the deepest moments of your life through an academic lens grounded in empathy and understanding. The amount of personal growth alone is worth the time and energy spent in acquiring it. I learned more about myself during that journey than I ever thought possible.” 

Kaitlin graduated in December 2025 with her Bachelor of Science in Leadership degree and immediately began pursuing her Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology in January, which she will complete this December. “I couldn't be more excited to embark on this new career path!” 

Kaitlin’s career background over the last few years, although varied, has been heavily focused on editing and publishing. Because of this, instructional design and technology fits well within that narrative. 

“It's actually really fun! I have had the pleasure of developing an entire training program from scratch—a completed project ready for my portfolio! So far, I've created several portfolio-ready pieces as part of my coursework,” Kaitlin expressed. “The way this program is designed is incredible because you are the designer participating in hands-on projects that prepare you for a real career in IDT.” 

Along with Kaitlin’s publishing, editing, writing, and instructional design, she and her husband are entrepreneurs at heart. They recently finished building an RV Park in which the B.S. in Leadership degree and Google Project Management Certificate program she took simultaneously gave her the knowledge and skills to support the success of the family business. 

“With all of our entrepreneurial ventures, traditional schooling would have been impossible,” Kaitlin confessed. “My educational journey has only been made possible because of online schooling! I have been a 100% online student since I began, and I wouldn't have it any other way. It allows me to juggle my crazy schedule and still focus on self-development as a creative professional. If not for online education, I'd never have been able to achieve my educational dreams.”