BILOXI—Many people make New Year resolutions, but Sandra Moss doesn’t. Instead, she makes life resolutions and listens to her inner calling.
“If something in you keeps calling, listen,” she said. “Sometimes the bravest thing you can do isn’t starting over; it’s finally starting true. And remember: age isn’t the barrier; hesitation is.”
Fifty-nine-year-old Sandra Moss is currently on track to finish her PhD in STEM
Education at the University of Southern Mississippi through the Center for STEM Education, but she isn’t one of those late bloomers who was determined to get a degree. Moss is one of those people who can’t stop blooming.
“For me, it wasn’t something new; it was unfinished business. I always wanted to earn my PhD, but life has a way of redirecting you when responsibilities take center stage,” she said regarding this current endeavor. “My path has had plenty of twists and turns, yet there was always that quiet nudge reminding me there was still a step I needed to take.”
Throughout her life, Ms. Moss has lived in many states, mentored others, raised children, built schools, navigated loss and begun more than once. She said even through her share of hard knocks, she is still standing strong and carrying fewer immediate familial responsibilities, so she decided now was the time.
“My path has never followed a straight line, but every chapter prepared me for the next.” She said, looking back on her first experience as an educator as a homeschool parent. “What started as a personal decision rooted in love and necessity eventually grew into leading a small private K–12 learning community built around one core belief: students should love learning no matter what barrier they may face.”
But education wasn’t her first career. She spent nearly twenty years as a physical therapist, which helped shaped how she sees people and systems. This experience taught her to think holistically to include body, mind, environment, and support systems. She also had a part-time Spanish teaching position.
“Teaching and healing were never separate paths for me. They informed each other.” She said, realizing that each experience was challenging, sometimes painful, but all taught her lessons. “This reshaped how I understand leadership, trust and the importance of building work that is both values-driven and structurally sound. It prepared me for this updated, 4.0 version of myself—stronger and clearer.”
Her academic journey with an experience studying abroad added another layer of clarity for her by sharpening her direction. She follows the example set by her mother who returned to school in her 50s to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a teacher. As a young girl, Ms. Moss ran track, played basketball, cheered and taught her dolls. Later she ran track at Ohio State University before transferring to the University of Pittsburgh where she earned a degree in physical therapy.
“Alongside my professional work, I’ve been a parent, caregiver, school leader, and, my favorite role, a grandmother, or Mimi, often juggling multiple responsibilities at once,” she added. “Education, for me, has always been a lived experience through family, work, and community, extending far beyond classrooms or degrees.”
Photo credit: Sandra Moss
She said her family continues to inspire her. She has one son who served in the Navy as a Seabee and a photographic journalist and will soon attend Ohio State to pursue his passion for photography. Another son is a budding artist, musician, and fashion designer. Her daughters work in biology-related fields: one as a Senior Quality Specialist in Developmental Biologics at a major pharmaceutical company, and the youngest is currently finishing a degree in zoology with hopes of working with animals in their natural habitats.
Ms. Moss said her life experiences and knowledge of research, curriculum development and learning design is what pushed her toward advanced study. She said, “Old isn’t old: it’s valuable experience. My family didn’t just support this chapter; they actively shaped it.”
After traveling abroad and living around the country, she said she arrived in Mississippi
to be with her son and his family who was stationed in the state with the Navy. She said that over time, the Mississippi Gulf Coast became a deeper calling.
“Being on the Coast brought my work closer to real people, real places, and real consequences,” she said. “The Mississippi Coast is a unique intersection of environment, community, and education, and it quickly became an unexpected home. Of all the places I’ve lived, I have found Mississippians to be some of the kindest and most welcoming people.”
The life Ms. Moss is living has no destination. It continues to be a journey. She said this season of life is giving her time to think deeply, create intentionally and build learning experiences.
“My next goal is to use what I’ve learned to build programs and learning experiences that are practical, thoughtful, and deeply human,” she said, looking ahead. “I feel like I’m stepping into my soul. I don’t feel old. I feel seasoned, just right. There’s a sense that I’m only beginning the work I was meant to do, and it’s invigorating.”
To others who are not sure of their own direction, Ms. Moss provides a bit of advice that she is following.
“You don’t age out of purpose; you grow into it. Every experience adds depth, discernment, and clarity if you’re willing to learn from it. You don’t have to feel fearless to act; you just have to be willing.”
