Emily McNulty of Cleburne graduated with honors from Texas A&M; University on Dec. 18.

The 2006 Rio Vista High School graduate earned a bachelor’s degree with teaching certification in three-and-a-half years and was chosen as the Department of Educational Psychology’s distinguished honor graduate.

She discovered many things along the way, primarily, herself.

Her first semester was a roller coaster ride.

Emily was positive she knew what she wanted to become, a physical therapist.

Through a turn of events she was guided to an entirely different career, where she says she was meant to be.

Physical therapy appeared to be a natural match for Emily’s skills.

She had been active in sports her entire childhood and exhibited good coordination.

She played soccer, softball, basketball and tennis. She studied ballet, jazz, tap and competitive dancing.

“I came into basketball when I was in the first grade and stuck with that throughout high school. I joined a summer league basketball team in the fourth grade and began to play in Dallas-Fort Worth leagues such as Team Texas.”

In high school she participated in basketball, tennis, track, cross country and was a cheerleader.

She said sports taught her the importance of teamwork, time management, hard work and perseverance.

“When I entered A&M; I chose a kinesiology major to become a physical therapist. I joined all the right organizations and took all the right classes.”

She came to a hard realization — she didn’t like it.

“I didn’t excel in the classes, either. At first I had no idea what to do because in my mind I couldn’t do anything else. But that first semester offered a new approach to the world. I found myself.”

She needed a plan.

“Good study habits were something I had to develop. I had made an awful grade on my first math test. That first semester was a huge learning process.”

In desperation, she used a planner for everything. She designated times she had to be in the library or in her dorm, studying a specific subject.

“I had to discover how I learned best. There were many trials and errors in figuring this out. I learned that I did well if I created story lines or motions with the materials I needed to know.”

Her parents, Rock and Shelly McNulty, are educators.

“At first, I refused to go into education because that was what they did,” Emily said. “I looked over all my possibilities. With a sigh, I said, ‘Fine. I will do special education.’ ”

When she first attended education psychology classes she God affirmed her calling, she said.

“I took summer schools, minimesters, and correspondence courses. I worked hard to do well and finish school at a reasonable time.”

She also remembered good teaching skills she had witnessed as a student.

“Mrs. Karen Hartgraves, my second-grade teacher, was so very kind and introduced me to how fun learning can be. Mrs. Marcia Lehrmann in fifth grade sparked my love of reading and encouraged creativity in all subjects. Deb Davis, ‘Coach D,’ in eighth-grade English encouraged me to excel in all that I did. She was a teacher who capitalized on teachable moments. There was never a time in her classroom that I was not learning. She taught me the importance of good character qualities, study habits, endurance and hard work.

“At Rio Vista High School, Coach Marcus Morris and Mrs. Molly Morris loved what they did and cared about the success of their students. The structure of their classes and the way they handled students were examples of their character.”

She considers student teaching one of the best experiences of her life.

“I was placed with an outstanding teacher, Mrs. Andrea Siebert. She took the time to teach me and ensure that I was prepared for my first year of teaching. I taught in a class of second-, third- and fourth-graders who had autism. I encountered many challenges with behavior management, working with parents, and cooperating with school personnel.

“My teacher put me in the forefront of the challenges. She invested in me and gave me a confidence that is needed in this work field. It is so rewarding to watch students gradually change their behavior after weeks of battles and tantrums. To know that I am laying a foundation for a lifetime of success for these students is important for me.”

She had to prove her worth in the beginning. Earning the respect of the students and the professional adults who surrounded her was essential.

She was promptly hired after graduation and now works with second-, third- and fourth-graders with autism at Creek View Elementary School in College Station.

“I see young elementary children helping students with special needs there, some with an innate ability to interact with those who are different from them. I imagine I was like that,” she said.

“When I was in elementary school I was invited into the Life Skills classroom to talk and play with the students. I always enjoyed bringing a smile to their faces. I saw the students with special needs as peers.

“Then, when I was 9 years old, my aunt and uncle adopted a little boy. At the age of 3, my cousin was diagnosed with autism. In my family that disability never defined who he was or what he could do.”

She credits her parents with helping her to prepare for a life of independence.

“Leaving home wasn’t hard for me. During my senior year in high school, my parents did an excellent job of preparing me for what was to come.

“They spent time teaching me about budgeting and time management. I always knew I had a support system back home that would provide advice and encouragement.”

Her mother commented that those who fail to plan, plan to fail, Emily said.

“I remembered that when I had a project that I didn’t start until a few days before. I kept putting it off, thinking it would be easy. At 4 a.m. the morning it was due, my ink went out on my computer. I had to drive to campus at 7 a.m. to make sure that I printed everything off in time to turn it in by 8 a.m. I made a good grade, but it wasn’t worth all the stress and lack of sleep. After that, I made sure to plan ahead.”

She had time for fun in the time she saved.

“I love to read, scrapbook and make extravagant cupcakes. I enjoy country-western dancing. It started my freshman year when a group of us took dance lessons from the Aggie Wranglers, a competitive country-western dance team at A&M.; We did this for two semesters. I’ve used the lessons ever since.

“It is a rare occasion for me to miss a campus sporting event. Some of my fondest memories involve those times.”

She advises freshmen to “get involved. Find organizations that you are passionate about, whether it’s a service based organization, a sorority or fraternity, a counselor for a camp. Just find your passion and stick with it. Those organizations will be a wonderful outlet to meet friends and gain a support group. Finding a church home within the first year is very important.

“Develop your own plan to succeed and do well. That plan will definitely be altered for the better.”

She has also learned from negative events she has witnessed.

“In life I am pained to see injustice directed to a person or a group of people. The ignorance it takes to judge someone and then act out against this falsehood is angering to me. Everyone deserves a chance to succeed and no one has the right to tear another person down. I find joy in life in making good memories. I love to see students succeed and a have a ‘light-bulb’ moment.

“My relationship with the Lord has grown. I have a solid grasp on who I am. I have found that I am passionate about giving students the education they need. I enjoy finding how each learns and discovering the best way to teach them.”

Besides her parents, who now live in Smithville, Texas, Emily has a younger sister, Callie, and grandparents, Max and Peggy Marsh, who live in Cleburne. Her paternal grandparents, Kenneth and Jeanne McNulty, live in Baytown.

“I’ve come to cherish my family much more,” she said. “Now I understand how important they are to me. I’ve learned about true friendship. I have matured and grown, but I have so much more to learn in life.”

Emily will continue her education to receive a graduate degree in behavior analysis.

She has a plan.

“I want to know and follow hard after God. I’ve learned that if I seek God first, life makes sense.”



Larue Barnes may be reached at laruebarnes@yahoo.com.