Meet Molly Crawford, an upcoming graduate from the College of Education. For most college graduates, commencement day is a defining milestone—a moment to walk across the stage to receive their diploma and embrace celebration, reflection, and the future. But Crawford will not walk across the stage on May 3, 2025. She will walk down the aisle to say, “I do” and embrace celebration, reflection, and the future with her husband, Blayne.
Crawford will earn her Bachelor of Science in Education with a focus in Early Childhood Education. Her commencement ceremony is scheduled for 3 p.m.—the exact same time as her wedding ceremony. But if you ask Crawford, she wouldn’t have it any other way.
I used to be such a planner,” she said. “But then Blayne joined the military, and I’ve learned to go with the flow.
Crawford and Blayne legally married in August of 2024 due to the demands of military life—he serves in the Air Force—but always planned a larger celebration with family and friends. Despite the overlap, Crawford has found peace and even joy in the situation. She even plans to have a photo taken in her wedding gown donned in graduation regalia!
“We’re doing the College of Education awards and pinning ceremonies beforehand, so I still get to celebrate all the hard work,” she said. “It’s disappointing not to walk, but I am so ready to celebrate. May 3 is about celebrating the things that matter most—my education and my marriage—with the people closest to us.”
For Crawford, teaching has never just been a career goal—it’s a calling. Her time at Athens State has only confirmed that calling.
“I have just always known I wanted to come to Athens State,” noted Crawford. “I did the education program at Hartselle High School and grew up hearing about how Athens State is the best finishing school.”
Faculty members like Professor Blake Hargett played an especially important role in Crawford’s success. Crawford describes teaching as one thing in her life that doesn’t make her anxious—a huge personal milestone, considering how shy she was growing up.
“I was the kid who cried if the teacher called on me,” she shared. “I still remember getting clipped down in first grade. It was horrible,” she said with a laugh. “Now I walk into classrooms feeling confident. It’s kind of a cool testimony of overcoming fear and God giving me the courage to do something that used to be really hard.”
Through her student teaching placements at Barkley Bridge and Crestline Elementary, Crawford was able to put that purpose into practice. One moment that stood out involved a student who seemed fine on the surface—but Crawford’s instincts told her otherwise.
“I could just tell she was struggling socially,” recalled Crawford. “So, I’d call on her for questions I knew she could answer. She would light up. Sometimes, that’s all a kid needs—someone to really see them.”
Crawford’s teaching philosophy is rooted in creating a classroom where all children feel safe, loved, and seen. She’s a strong believer in project-based and play-based learning, emphasizing that children need space to be just that—children.
I want to build an environment where if my students only hear ‘I love you’ once, it’s from me,” she said. “Where no student slips through the cracks just because they look okay on the outside.
Looking ahead, Crawford plans to find an online master’s program she can pursue while working wherever she and Blayne are stationed. Long-term, she’s open to pursuing doctoral studies and even teaching at the college level—but only if the classroom ever stops feeling like home.
“I want to teach until I lose my spark,” she said. “I love learning with kids. I think they’re the funniest, most amazing people.”
Faith has been foundational for both Crawford’s marriage and academic journey. Whether it’s trusting that she chose the right major, finding peace in a chaotic schedule, or getting married on her graduation day, Molly Crawford is moving forward with the kind of grace that only comes from leaning into the unknown.
“May 3 will be a reminder of all the hard work, all the love, and all the faith that brought me here,” she said. “I wouldn’t change a thing about it.”
More about Early Childhood Education
Athens State University has long had a proud tradition of serving as one of Alabama’s leading teacher education colleges. Early childhood education (ECE) focuses on the academic, social, and cognitive skills that develop in children from birth through third grade. Teacher candidates that do not want to teach beyond third grade are encouraged to pursue the Early Childhood Education program. Learn more about the Early Childhood Education program HERE.