{"id":7819,"date":"2022-10-04T18:48:08","date_gmt":"2022-10-04T18:48:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.test.wilmu.edu\/?p=7819"},"modified":"2025-03-27T17:32:31","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T21:32:31","slug":"a-source-of-inspiration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/2022\/10\/04\/a-source-of-inspiration\/","title":{"rendered":"A Source of Inspiration"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.kadence-column7819_5cc637-bf > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);}.kadence-column7819_5cc637-bf > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column7819_5cc637-bf > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column7819_5cc637-bf > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column7819_5cc637-bf > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column7819_5cc637-bf > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column7819_5cc637-bf > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column7819_5cc637-bf{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column7819_5cc637-bf > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column7819_5cc637-bf > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column7819_5cc637-bf dynamic-main-col\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<p>The late U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice <strong>Ruth Bader Ginsburg <\/strong>wasn\u2019t just an advocate for gender equality and women\u2019s rights. She believed in equality for all, especially underrepresented and underserved members of society. Perhaps that\u2019s why Bader Ginsburg was a hero to Wilmington University alumna <strong>Kristen A. King-Dennis<\/strong>. Both were proponents of reading advocacy. Both were fiercely independent yet devoted to their families. And both believed that every child deserved to succeed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kristen, who wanted to be a teacher all her life, started her professional career in the spring of 2005 after earning an Associate in Applied Science in Early Care and Education from Delaware Technical Community College, graduating cum laude. She became a preschool teacher at St. Paul\u2019s Lutheran School in Newark after the birth of her second child, then opened an in-home daycare while pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Early Education (K\u20136) from Wilmington University, which she earned in 2010. She was also certified as a Teacher of Elementary (K\u20136), a Teacher of Exceptional Children (K\u201312), and a Teacher of Reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The mother of two young children, Justin Jr. and Taylor, Kristen then served the Christina School District, where she taught and advocated for children with special needs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her parents, <strong>William King Sr. <\/strong>and <strong>Barbara King<\/strong>, her sisters <strong>Lauren Warner <\/strong>and <strong>Brittany Mead<\/strong>, and brother <strong>Bill King Jr. <\/strong>\u2014 not to mention nieces, nephews and many friends \u2014watched in awe as Kristen juggled motherhood, college coursework and teaching. Kristen was the rock; the go-to for advice, the one who \u201chated to be the center of attention,\u201d says her sister, Brittany Mead. \u201cShe was my mentor. She always did things for others but took care of herself, too. She was all about strength, and I saw her as a role model for women.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2018, Kristen was diagnosed with HER2-Positive breast cancer. \u201cBut she beat it,\u201d Mead says. When it came back, she knew it was worse, but she was intent on pursuing her master\u2019s at Wilmington University. Despite the severity of the disease, Kristen earned her Master of Education with a concentration in Special Education while working full-time, receiving multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, and undergoing numerous surgical procedures.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By July of 2022, she had met the requirements for the degree when the cancer metastasized to her liver. Her health was failing rapidly. And since her liver could not adequately remove toxins from her blood, the buildup of those toxins had led to brain damage.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image7819_495dbc-df .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image7819_495dbc-df size-full wp-image-6372\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Wilmington-University-Kristen-Dennis-family.jpg\" alt=\"A tight-knit family. Front row: Bill King Jr., Kristen, Lauren Warner, Brittany Mead; Back row: Bill King Sr. and Barbara King.\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-7822\"\/><figcaption>A tight-knit family. Front row: Bill King Jr., Kristen, Lauren Warner, Brittany Mead; Back row: Bill King Sr. and Barbara King.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Her close-knit family came to the painful realization that Kristen would likely not cross the stage at commencement the following January. So, on July 26, 2022, dressed in full academic regalia, Wilmington University President <strong>Dr. Laverne Harmon <\/strong>and colleagues visited Kristen at home to confer the Master of Education degree. There, surrounded by her family, Kristen accepted her degree.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Harmon then awarded Kristen\u2019s children, Justin Jr. and Taylor, now 19 and 16 respectively, two full undergraduate scholarships to WilmU.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cKristen couldn\u2019t cry because she couldn\u2019t produce tears,\u201d Mead says. \u201cBut she was aware of her surroundings, and I know her heart was happy.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After the conferral, Kristen was able to thank Dr. Harmon. \u201cShe also said, \u2018I tried,\u2019\u201d Dr. Harmon says. \u201cI feel fortunate to have met Kristen and to witness her humility and strength. I know how much she believed in education, and I hope we brought her peace in some small way, knowing that we will welcome Justin Jr. and Taylor when they\u2019re ready.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kristen died on July 30, 2022, four days after receiving her diploma. She had just turned 40.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the family\u2019s request, WilmU employees delivered a cap and gown to be displayed at Kristen\u2019s funeral. More than 500 people attended the services. \u201cIt was a testament to how many people loved her,\u201d Mead says. \u201cShe never crumbled. She never complained. And for so long, she was an inspiration to anyone going through cancer. She fought with every fiber of her being and maintained her dignity.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And while it\u2019s easier said than done, Mead says, \u201cshe wouldn\u2019t want us to be sad. Even when things took a turn for the worse, Kristen didn\u2019t want to be a burden.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide wu-blockquote-row is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-ad2f72ca wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote wu-blockquote-simple is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;Kristen believed that no matter what, no one could ever take your education away from you.&#8221;<\/p>\n<cite>\u2014 Brittany Mead<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>She would be happy to know that Justin Jr. and Taylor look forward to college. \u201cBut she would also want them to understand that most people don\u2019t get this kind of opportunity, to realize how fortunate they are, and to remain humble,\u201d says Mead. \u201cWilmU has set up our next generation for success. It\u2019s a huge game changer, and we could not be more grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe are the grateful ones,\u201d says Dr. Harmon. \u201cIt was an honor to be welcomed so warmly by Kristen\u2019s family and to meet her parents, children and siblings. We will never forget Kristen or her family.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She always said that success was the best revenge, Mead says. \u201cKristen believed that no matter what, no one could ever take your education away from you. That\u2019s why I know how much these scholarships meant to her.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like her role model, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Kristen was an inspiration to others. One of Bader Ginsburg\u2019s most famous calls to action was: \u201cWhatever you choose to do, leave tracks. That means don\u2019t do it just for yourself. You will want to leave the world a little better for your having lived.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Supreme Court Justice and the master\u2019s-level teacher had much in common. Neither wanted special treatment, despite their hardships. And both left the world a little better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u2014Maria Hess&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The late U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wasn\u2019t just an advocate for gender equality and women\u2019s rights. She believed in equality for&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":7821,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[145,135],"tags":[179,187,610],"class_list":["post-7819","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni-news","category-magazine","tag-alumni","tag-college-of-education-and-liberal-arts","tag-magazine-fall-2022"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":145,"label":"ALUMNI NEWS"},{"value":135,"label":"MAGAZINE"}],"post_tag":[{"value":179,"label":"Alumni"},{"value":187,"label":"College of Education and Liberal Arts"},{"value":610,"label":"Magazine Fall 2022"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/wilmington-university-kristen-dennis-480x480.jpg",480,480,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Rachel Marchione","author_link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/author\/rachel\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":145,"name":"ALUMNI NEWS","slug":"alumni-news","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":702,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":113,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":145,"category_count":113,"category_description":"","cat_name":"ALUMNI NEWS","category_nicename":"alumni-news","category_parent":0},{"term_id":135,"name":"MAGAZINE","slug":"magazine","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":692,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":431,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":135,"category_count":431,"category_description":"","cat_name":"MAGAZINE","category_nicename":"magazine","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":179,"name":"Alumni","slug":"alumni","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":736,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":21,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":187,"name":"College of Education and Liberal Arts","slug":"college-of-education-and-liberal-arts","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":744,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":15,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":610,"name":"Magazine Fall 2022","slug":"magazine-fall-2022","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1167,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":11,"filter":"raw"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7819","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7819"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7819\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17582,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7819\/revisions\/17582"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7821"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7819"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7819"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7819"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}