Partner Spotlight
From Stage to Classroom: How Pepperdine’s Online MAT Helped Mallery Pivot Her Career Without Pressing Pause on Life
When Mallery Marcoux walks onto an elementary school campus now, it feels like a set she helped create: a garden buzzing with kids, tiny backpacks lined up on hooks, and the hum of a classroom getting ready for the day.
Only this time, she’s not performing for an audience. She’s building a life.
For most of her teens and early twenties, acting was Mallery’s dream. She studied it in college, graduated in 2021, and entered a world upended by COVID. The pandemic emerged during school and intensified as she launched her career, reshaping her chosen industry overnight: auditions suddenly moved online, geography mattered less, and an already unpredictable path into acting became even harder to navigate. This was especially challenging for Mallery, a self-described “Type A” planner. She picked up odd jobs to stay flexible for auditions, but stability remained out of reach.
Meanwhile, life was moving forward. Mallery had gotten married, bought a house in California, and was caring for two dogs. “There were other goals in life that I had,” she says. “I needed financial security.”
So she asked herself: What could I do that I’d truly enjoy, that uses the skills I already have, and that leads me down a clearer, more meaningful path?
That question led Mallery back to something that had always made her feel grounded: working with kids. She babysat, nannied, and coached. Her mom was a preschool teacher; her mother-in-law taught fourth grade; her sister-in-law taught transitional kindergarten. Teaching wasn’t a stretch for Mallery—it was a path she had quietly been orbiting for years.
Before diving in headfirst, Mallery spent the following year substitute teaching to ensure this career pivot was the right fit after her post-graduation experiences in 2021. “Being back on elementary campuses brought me so much joy,” she says. “It made me really happy to think of school as my daily workplace.”
Subbing confirmed what she hoped: teaching felt right. It aligned with the life she was building and the long-term impact she wanted to make. Ready for her next move, she needed a way to get credentialed without upending her life.
Finding a program that fits real life
Pepperdine University had always stood out to Mallery—she’d even applied there for undergrad—so when an online ad for Pepperdine’s Online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program powered by 2U appeared, she paid attention.
“Online? That would be really nice,” she remembers thinking. “I could student teach during the day and come home for class at night.”
That’s when everything clicked. Pepperdine’s Online MAT program was designed for real-world flexibility: it offered strong academic rigor and a respected reputation in a format that supported her schedule. Starting in January meant no delay; student teaching began immediately, and she could earn both her credential and master’s degree in just a year. Most importantly, the program was online, which allowed her to maintain a balance between school, work, and life.
Pepperdine quickly became the only program she applied to. “Once I decided I wanted to be a teacher, I wanted to just do it,” she says.
A program that adapts to you—not the other way around
Today, as she approaches graduation, Mallery’s daily life reflects exactly why online learning matters. Her husband works 12-hour shifts, and coordinating care for their dogs requires careful planning. After a long day in the classroom, having time to cook dinner, squeeze in a workout, or simply breathe before class is invaluable.
“It makes such a difference to have time for the personal necessities that keep me healthy,” she says.
And because class happens at home, she still has the flexibility to take on babysitting jobs and pursue performance opportunities that come her way. “I’ve put acting on pause, but I still have time to squeeze auditions in,” she says.
Building community online
Even as she juggles everything, the Pepperdine community keeps Mallery grounded. Her cohort—small because they’re the first online MAT class—has grown surprisingly close. They’ve only met once in person but, through consistent group chats and virtual collaboration, have built a strong support system that mirrors what students often find on campus.
Her number-one piece of advice to new online students? “You need to make a group chat,” she says, laughing. “It’s life-saving—for keeping up on assignments and staying connected. You don’t have that face-to-face chatting after class, so the group chat really helps us bond.”
Support doesn’t stop with peers. Mallery’s student success advisor checks in monthly, giving her another outlet when challenges arise. “It’s just nice to know someone is calling to make sure you’re okay,” she says. “My student success advisor is always open to feedback and willing to pass it along to the program.”
Learning that matches classroom reality
For Mallery, a standout benefit of the MAT program is how closely her coursework mirrors the realities of teaching in California schools. “Everything we’re learning is extremely applicable,” she says. “I see it day-to-day in student teaching.”
Courses on supporting multilingual learners, understanding Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans, and using cultural diversity as a classroom strength have shaped how she teaches. “Pepperdine really emphasizes making students’ differences a positive,” Mallery says. “That’s been a through-line in the coursework that I really appreciate.”
Mallery has particularly fond memories of a literacy course that boosted her confidence for the Reading Instruction Competence Assessment® (RICA®), California’s notoriously difficult literacy exam. “Literally everything on the test had been taught to us that month,” she says. “All my studying came from class.”
Moments of “I’ve got this”
If the coursework built her knowledge, her mentor teachers helped her step into her identity as a teacher. There was a moment during student teaching when her mentor trusted her to work independently with struggling readers and handle intervention instruction.
“That felt like a big deal,” she says. “Gaining that familiarity in the classroom environment reassured me that this is what I’m meant to do.”
Her current mentor has gone further: Mallery now runs parent-teacher conferences, collects student work throughout the semester, and walks through the flow of IEP meetings.
“Having those practical skills going into this job is going to be really helpful,” Mallery says.
Looking ahead and encouraging others to take the leap
As her December 2025 graduation date approaches, Mallery hopes to step into a long-term substitute position in spring 2026, then a full-time classroom role next fall—ideally in second or third grade.
She sees how much her program choice will continue to matter.
“Pepperdine definitely carries its name well,” Mallery says. “People are impressed when you tell them you’re in Pepperdine’s MAT program.”
Her professors have offered recommendation letters, and they keep an eye out for openings. She knows she’s not job searching alone.
While Mallery is looking forward to donning a graduation cap this month, she’s quick to confirm she’s not done learning.
“I consider myself a lifelong learner,” she says. “Education changes fast. You need to stay on top of new curricula, laws, and strategies. I’m excited to be in a career that requires constant learning.”
She encourages others to do the same. If you’re someone considering a mid-career shift, especially if you’re balancing work, caretaking, or life, Mallery’s advice is simple: “Just go for it. This sounds cheesy, but the pieces will fall where they need to. You don’t have to give up your life to change it.”
For Mallery, that’s the real power of online learning: she didn’t have to start over—just build on the life she already loves.
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