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When Maiya Turner crossed the stage at Texas A&M’s Reed Arena and her academic hood placed on her she did a small “dance” of celebration.

The Port Arthur woman’s dreams became reality as she received her doctorate in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis on multicultural education last week.

Turner is in a new position as a postdoctoral research associate at The University of Texas at Arlington.

Her recent graduation shows the persistence and strength of a woman who overcame — and continues to overcome — health obstacles while chasing a dream.

Her story has come full circle.

The 2014 Memorial High School valedictorian went on to earn a degree in education and taught at the very school she graduated from. While teaching she continued her education and graduated in 2019 with her master’s degree.

Then she got sick.

In June 2023 she was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease and lupus, she said.

“I used some time to regroup in a sense,” Turner said.

She started going to dialysis three times a week, four hours at a time and started using that time to work on her dissertation.

“Most of my dissertation was written while on dialysis in Beaumont,” she said. Her time as a student in Port Arthur and her time as a teacher are what moved her to do research on students and teacher recruitment and retention.

“My dreams did not seem attainable,” she said. “When I was first diagnosed I hit a rough spot and didn’t think I would be able to finish. I was three years into the program and I thought ‘I’m not too sure about this.’”

Her parents were there to push her toward her goals leading her to contact her department chair and get started, she said.

“I actually went back to school. That’s what brought me out of my rut I had for a moment there,” she added.

One of her biggest fans, besides family, is her former student Kalya Broussard.

Broussard was 13 at the time Turner was her AP English teacher and then her yearbook sponsor at Memorial. Turner was such an inspiration that Broussard stayed in contact through the years.

Broussard asked Turner to help guide her in her career and educational journey.

“She was 21 and had her master’s and was teaching an AP class in high school,” Broussard said of Turner.

Broussard said when she applied for Prairie View A&M she worried about not getting an acceptance letter.  She shared her concerns with Turner who drove her to the campus to get answers.

“Right then and there I knew she was somebody that would stick around,” Broussard said. “She’s been a positive influence in my life.”

Broussard has made her own mark as well as a quality systems specialist at The Boeing Company. She started her career in Seattle and recently moved to San Antonio where she works on the executive fleet.

Broussard credits Turner’s guidance, support and example to having shaped who she is today.