The College of Education at Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, named Janis Duncan as its Outstanding Student for the 2004-05 academic Year.
Duncan received a degree in early childhood education in December 2004.
After a 30-year absence, Duncan returned to SAU in August 2000 to strive to reach her dream of becoming a teacher. As a nontraditional student, Duncan feared she had been out of school too long to succeed, but she faced her fear, and spent countless hours studying to catch up.
She demonstrated exceptional accomplishments both as a student and as a teacher-in-training. Instructors that had Duncan in class agree that she was committed to superior performance and she cooperated with students and faculty, often taking on leadership roles to ensure course goals were reached.
When asked about the life lessons she learned returning to college after 30 years, she replied, “Two things: First, when your daddy tells you to get a college degree, you need to listen to him and not wait 30 years to do it. Secondly, I became award of the fact that a person never stops learning. The more I learn, the more things I find that I want and need to know.”
Duncan currently teaches for the Arkansas Better Chance Pre-school in Stephens and resides in Camden. She is the proud parent of two grown sons, Robert and Terry, and grandmother to two grandchildren.
