

Alicia Thompson
Wichita Public Schools
Wichita, KS USA
"You cannot make it in this world or be anything in this world without other people."
Career Roadmap
Alicia's work combines: Education, Government, and Teaching / Mentoring
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Education
Advice for getting started
Find something that you're passionate in and work on the skills you need to break into that career. I also recommend getting involved in organizations or clubs in school. I was in a sorority and have been able to call upon my sorority sisters—and even former classmates from my HBCU—for opportunities and connections. You build valuable networks by being involved and engaged in things. When you graduate college and are moving to a new city or looking for a job, those networks are going to matter.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Elementary Education and Teaching
Langston University
Graduate Degree
Curriculum and Instruction
Kansas Newman
Doctorate
Educational Leadership and Administration
Wichita State University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas.
2.
My mom was a schoolteacher in Wichita, so I spent a lot of my time immersed in the school district.
3.
The admiration I had for a former teacher paired with my experience teaching vacation bible school in high school drove me to seriously consider going into the education industry.
4.
I earned my bachelor’s degree in elementary education and teaching from Langston University, an HBCU in Oklahoma.
5.
I started my career as a teacher for Wichita Public Schools.
6.
Along my journey, I earned a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, as well as a doctorate in educational leadership and administration.
7.
I transitioned from being a teacher, to a building leader, and then to a district-level administrator.
8.
I was appointed as superintendent of Wichita Public Schools in 2017.