Dr. Nerissa DeRamus’s educational journey is one defined by perseverance, purpose, and a passion for making a difference. Recently earning her Doctorate in Rural Education with a specialization in Teacher Leadership from the University of West Alabama (UWA), her achievement reflects her personal drive and exceptional commitment to students.
For Dr. DeRamus, the decision to pursue a doctorate was more than a professional milestone—it was personal. Growing up in Alabama’s Black Belt, she experienced firsthand the complexities and challenges of rural education. Those experiences formed her desire to critically examine the systems that shaped her own educational path while also creating opportunities for students in similar communities.
“Learning has always been more than a means to an end. It is a lifelong journey, a continuous process that fuels personal growth and professional success,” she said.
Choosing UWA for her doctoral studies was intentional. As one of the only institutions in the nation offering a doctoral program specifically in rural education, UWA’s mission aligned with her goals. Her dissertation, “Cultural Responsiveness and Its Effect on Rural Science Achievement,” explored how culturally responsive teaching impacts student performance. By assessing teachers' cultural responsiveness across rural, suburban, and urban settings and analyzing ACT science scores, her research revealed the critical role culturally responsive practices play in student success.
The journey was not without challenges. Over the course of four years, Dr. DeRamus balanced her doctoral work with full-time teaching, raising children active in extracurricular activities, and supporting her family while her husband was deployed on military duty.
“Completing the program required immense patience, unwavering perseverance, and strict self-discipline,” she reflected. “There were moments of exhaustion and doubt, but my passion for education and my commitment to my goal kept me motivated.”
Dr. DeRamus holds multiple degrees: a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master of Arts in Teaching from UWA; an Education Specialist degree in Biology Curriculum and Instruction from The University of Alabama; and her Doctorate in Rural Education in Teacher Leadership from UWA.
Today, Dr. DeRamus views her doctorate not as a destination, but as a catalyst for change. By turning her research into action, she serves as a bridge between academic theory and classroom reality. Her journey—rooted in the Black Belt and refined at UWA—proves that education does more than transform the life of the teacher; it reshapes the future for every student they reach.