Story: Lisa Sollie | Photo: Cody Ingram

For years, Armand Barnard found his voice on stage and on screen. But beyond the spotlight, his ambitions run deeper: to understand people, not just perform for them.

After earning his undergraduate degree at Stellenbosch University, Barnard started exploring opportunities to continue his education in the United States, where his brother was already studying in Texas. Through the international recruitment agency, , he connected with Dr. Mark Davis, dean of at the University of West Alabama.

Barnard said he felt an immediate connection. “I could tell right away that this was someone I wanted to work with.”

With guidance from Davis, Barnard chose UWA, drawn not only to its master’s degree in —clinical psychology option—but also to the sense of community in Livingston.

“I knew it would be an adjustment coming to the States,” he said. “But the South, the people of Alabama, the Christian landscape and the strong sense of community here felt closer to my home country and Afrikaans culture.”

An actor and musician from South Africa, Barnard has built a growing list of screen credits, appearing in productions such as Troukoors (Wedding Fever) (2021), its follow-up series (2021—2022), and the television drama Die Byl (2025). He also appeared in the 2024 music video for ‘A-Okay,’ released by Sony Music Entertainment Africa.

“Since I was little, I’ve always been interested in people and why they do what they do,” Barnard said. “Acting lets you explore that in one way, but I wanted to understand it on a deeper level.”

While studying at UWA, Barnard focused on global perspectives, preparing a thesis on Japanese attitudes toward therapy, which he said are more positive today than in years past. He hopes to visit the country one day to further explore its culture and evolving views on mental health.

As graduation approaches, Barnard is applying to clinical psychology Ph.D. programs, a highly competitive path he said can be as selective as medical school admissions.

After commencement, he plans to attend Nashville Music Night, hosted by Friends of South Africa, celebrating both his academic achievement and his South African roots alongside his mother and fiancée. The couple plans to marry in December, marking a new chapter in a year of transition.

Although his future plans remain uncertain, Barnard said that he draws strength from one of his favorite Bible passages, Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”

The post From South Africa to Alabama, Barnard’s path from performer to psychologist appeared first on University of West Alabama.

Story: Lisa Sollie

Since the launch of its competency-based education (CBE) program, the University of West Alabama is working to move paraprofessionals into certified teaching roles more quickly to help address teacher shortages across the state.

Dr. Jan Miller serves as director of UWA’s competency-based education program, which launched January 2025 in the Julia S. Tutwiler College of Education. Miller said the initiative builds on paraprofessionals’ existing classroom experience while equipping them with the skills and competencies needed to become certified educators. Candidates must have at least three years of classroom experience and be enrolled online in one of UWA’s three education programs: elementary education, early childhood, or special education.

Miller said the University worked closely with the Alabama State Department of Education to identify the exact competencies candidates must master before earning certification. Faculty conducted extensive assessments and curriculum mapping to ensure coursework aligns with state-defined standards.

Through an evaluation tool called “Are you ready for CBE?” and a structured interview process, Miller reviews transcripts, work habits, and each candidate’s ability to work independently. She also assesses whether applicants are already serving in strong instructional roles and are prepared for the rigor of the program.

“Our model is accelerated, one-on-one, and very prescriptive,” Miller said. “Although you might be enrolled in a course with 10 other students, you aren’t necessarily moving at the same pace or even completing the same modules.”

Once enrolled in CBE, students take a 25-30 question multiple-choice pretest in each course. The assessment is not graded; instead, it measures prior knowledge and connects to course modules built around specific competencies.

After reviewing results, Miller may exempt candidates from modules or assignments within modules—where they have already demonstrated mastery. 

“I might say, ‘Congratulations, you’ve met the standards and competencies for Modules 1, 3, and 4. You only need to complete Modules 2, 5, and 6 to finish that course,’” she explained.

Students then complete summative assessments, field-embedded assignments—real work conducted in their own classrooms under the supervision of a mentor teacher. Candidates must demonstrate at least 80 percent mastery, proving not only content knowledge, but also the ability to effectively teach it.

Beth LaReau of Tuscaloosa was working at The Capitol School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, while pursuing dual degrees in early childhood and elementary education online when she heard about competency-based education programs at UWA. As one of the program’s first two graduates, she said switching to the competency-based format allowed her to focus directly on the standards she needed to master.

“Instead of feeling like I had to move through everything at the same pace, I could really concentrate on what I needed to learn,” LaReau said. “It helped me understand the science and vocabulary behind what I was already doing in my classroom.”

Another graduate, Katrina McGrady, who worked as a special education instructional aide in the Talladega County Schools while enrolled, said the program’s hands-on, practical structure stood out the most.

“My pre-assessment for integrated arts revealed I struggled with how to integrate art into math, so most of my assignments for that course focused on that,” McGrady said. “One project—a tessellations assignment—I implemented with my sixth-grade students. They loved it, and it worked just like it was supposed to. This program teaches you things you can immediately implement in your classroom.”

Stephanie Applegate, a paraprofessional at Faucett-Vestavia Elementary in the Tuscaloosa County School System for the past 23 years, agreed.

“All my assignments are so classroom-centered,” Applegate said.  “Yes, I’m getting the background knowledge I still need, but I’m applying it to real scenarios I’ll face as a teacher. The work is rigorous, but it’s easier to see the relevance—why I’m learning it and how I’ll use it.”

Through the self-paced structure, Applegate said the program has shortened her expected completion date to May 2026—a semester earlier than originally planned.

The program currently enrolls between 45 and 50 students, and Miller said interest continues to grow. While competency-based models exist in other disciplines and at other universities, she said similar approaches remain rare in teacher education. UWA’s program was the first of its kind in teacher education to receive accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and has positioned the University as a pioneer in competency-based teacher preparation.

Miller said the university plans to expand competency-based offerings in summer 2026 with the launch of a master’s-level CBE program in elementary, early childhood, and special education.

The graduate track will serve Alternative Class A (Alt A) candidates—individuals who already hold a bachelor’s degree in a non-teaching field but want to become certified educators. Rather than completing a traditional undergraduate education degree, Alt A students earn a master’s degree that leads to initial teacher certification. The competency-based format will allow these career changers to progress based on demonstrated mastery, potentially accelerating their path into the classroom.

Miller said the goal of UWA’s competency-based education programs is to produce competent, highly qualified educators more efficiently without compromising standards.

“We’re not lowering expectations,” she said. “We’re recognizing experience, honoring what candidates already know and focusing our time on what they still need to master. That’s how we get strong teachers into classrooms faster—and that’s what Alabama needs.”

For more information on UWA’s competency-based education programs, contact Jan Miller at (205) 652.3445 or jmiller@uwa.edu.

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Story: Lisa Sollie | Photo: Cody Ingram

T.J. Runyon has always been fascinated by human behavior. His journey has taken him from studying fossils alongside James Lamb at the University of West Alabama’s Black Belt Museum to now earning an undergraduate degree in during Fall 2025 commencement exercises. Next up for the new graduate is a master’s program in clinical mental health counseling. Through it all, Runyon has been driven by a deep desire to help others that he says UWA helped him clarify and pursue.

Runyon discovered UWA during one of his life’s greatest challenges. After a blood cancer diagnosis in 2016 left him with ample time to read, his love for science resurfaced, especially his early interest in paleontology.

“I was a big science nerd growing up until I discovered sports in the fourth grade and never looked back,” he said. “I even studied exercise science in college.”

Family challenges later led him to leave school and enter the work force. While looking for ways to stay connected to paleontology, he met Lamb at UWA’s Black Belt Museum. There, he joined experts in the field for digs and spent countless hours working and spending time at the Museum.

“I really wanted to study paleontology. More specifically, I was interested in inferring behavior from the fossil record,” Runyon said.

But as a non-traditional student who needed to work full-time, he soon realized that path wasn’t feasible. Exploring other UWA programs that aligned with his interests, Runyon chose to study psychology—and after only two online classes, he fell in love with the field.

He said that completing coursework online required unique discipline, and he feels far more certain about his goals now than when he first entered college at 20. “At 35, I’m more mature and can handle the load and responsibility better. And at UWA, it felt like my experience was more blended. I came to campus fairly often, attending sporting events, met routinely with my professors—even had lunch with them a time or two.”

Runyon now plans to enroll in UWA’s , with the long-term goal of becoming a psychoanalyst.

“I’m also going to apply for a couple of mentorships and fellowships at psychoanalytic training institutes to supplement my graduate instruction,” he said. “I’ll get my license and then spend another three to five years doing psychoanalytic training.”

During his time at UWA, Runyon also co-authored a paper with Dr. Alexandra Zidenberg of the University of Montreal, published in the Journal of Psychology and Sexuality.

He is grateful for his opportunities at UWA and the supportive faculty, particularly Dr. Marti Herlong, an assistant professor of psychology. “She’s been very influential in my journey, and a great mentor who guided me along the way,” he said.  “There really is something about this place, and I’m excited to take my next step here.”

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