Martin Earns Ph.D from UT Knoxville

Local UT Extension Agent April Martin recently earned a Ph.D in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
In an interview with WJLE, Dr. Martin said it’s an accomplishment in her life she has been looking forward to for a long time. ” I finished my Ph.D in December in Business Administration at UT. It really is an honor and a huge accomplishment in my life. It’s a lifelong goal. I started working on my Ph.D almost twelve years ago and with a full time job working with the UT Extension Service and having a family, it took a little bit longer for me than it might have for the average person but I made it and I am proud of it,” she said.
An East Tennessee native, Dr. Martin began her career with the UT Extension Service in Smith County after graduating from Berea College in Kentucky. She transferred to DeKalb County in 2006. “I grew up in East Tennessee in Claiborne County in Tazewell, Tennessee. Its right above Knoxville. I went to school there and when I graduated high school I attended Berea College, which is near Lexington, Kentucky. Soon after I graduated there, I started my career with the University of Tennessee Extension Service in Smith County. I was there for thirteen years until 2006 when I transferred to DeKalb County and became the Extension Family Consumer Science and 4-H Agent. I really enjoy serving the people of DeKalb County,” she said.
April is married to Gilbert Martin, an employee of DeKalb Farmer’s Coop and they have two children, Lily, a fifth grader at DeKalb West School and Wyatt, a freshman at DCHS.
Dr. Martin hopes that her ability to further her education will inspire others. “To anybody who thinks they can’t do something like this I can tell you that I wasn’t the most talented person. I certainly was not academically gifted growing up as a child. I was a B average and sometimes a C average student. But the number one secret to going forth and getting your education is determination, persistence, and hard work. If you’ve got that you can do anything,” she said.