A father and daughter from the Anoka-Hennepin School District celebrated a shared academic milestone this spring as they advanced toward their goals of becoming licensed elementary school teachers through Bemidji State University’s Distributed Learning in Teacher Education program.

Ellise Hadley walked the commencement stage on May 9 while her father, Jeffrey Knox, continues in the program with plans to graduate in 2026. The two enrolled together in the DLiTE program, an online licensure pathway designed for rural and urban students who cannot attend a traditional campus-based program.

Knox, a 12-year veteran of the Minnesota Army National Guard, said teaching runs in his family.

“My parents were always passionate about teaching and kids,” he said.

He earned his two-year degree before enrolling at Bemidji State and praised the program’s accessibility. As someone with reading difficulties, Knox said the digital format played a key role in his academic success.

“Now that things are digital, it has saved my ability to get through the program,” he said.

Hadley shared her father’s passion for education. After graduating from high school, she worked as a preschool teaching aide for four years before starting the DLiTE program. She said pursuing their degrees together brought them closer.

“It’s been amazing to go through this together,” Hadley said. “We’ve supported each other every step of the way.”

The DLiTE program offers both a six-semester, three-year track and a four-semester, two-year option. Students earn a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education and become eligible for K-6 teacher licensure in Minnesota. More details about the program are available at Bemidji State’s DLiTE program page.

Story by: Meadow Karp, a senior business administration major with a marketing emphasis at Bemidji State University.