Posted on Friday, May 26, 2023
Like a compass guides people through unfamiliar territory, the Education faculty helps its students navigate teaching in a public-school environment. The department’s curriculum and internships give student teachers a chance to develop their skills before entering the workforce after graduation.
“The classroom experiences were very helpful because we got to see what it was like in a professional setting,” said Kellie Hubbard ’98, a fifth-grade teacher at Franklin Forest Elementary School in LaGrange. “Working with teachers in Troup County classrooms was powerful and prepared me for what I would see as a teacher.”
Hubbard, who was named Teacher of the Year for her school this academic year, said her time at LC prepared her for her journey as a teacher and leader in education.
“It made a shy teenage girl who had never been anywhere alone get way out of her comfort zone,” she said. “The Education Department had high expectations for us, and they held us to them.”
In addition to Hubbard, LC alumni Shabre Lovelace M’18 and Bridget Smith Ed.S. ’21 earned Teacher of the Year honors this year at Long Cane Middle School and Troup High School, respectively.
Lovelace, who is a physical education teacher, said she is appreciative of the professors who took the time to mentor her.
“They were very personal and took the time to form relationships with all cohorts,” she said. “I had the pleasure of having Dr. Colby Jones again, who was once my history teacher in high school.
“Dr. Vicki Pheil was a light during the program. She had high expectations for us, but her feedback and classroom conversations were always informative and helpful.”
Lovelace explained how she benefited from the program.
“It helped me learn teaching strategies and become familiar with the content I would be teaching,” she said. “The relationship created with my classmates also helped me because we became each other's support system through our first few years in the classroom.”
Smith, who is a science teacher, said she has gone back to some of her LC coursework as she currently pursues a doctoral degree.
“The mixed method course I had with Dr. Don Livingston has helped me tremendously,” she said. “The program required a research project, which helped me gain the skills I needed and am currently using in my doctoral program.”
Smith said her professors had a profound impact on her life.
“All my professors encouraged me to pursue my goals and gave me the confidence I needed to challenge myself,” she said. “My experience at LaGrange College grew me as an educator, professional and individual. I was challenged and encouraged by all my professors, and I am forever grateful for the time each professor invested in me.”
Associate Professor Dr. Gretta Milam, Education Chair and Graduate Program Coordinator, said the department’s faculty enjoy hearing the success stories of their alumni.
“We are excited to know that the work we do matters,” she said. “As we learn about former students’ advancements and achievements, our work is validated.”
For more information on master and specialist degrees in Education, visit the graduate program’s website.
Eddie Montgomery: A Sound Future
Film & Media Arts student Eddie Montgomery outlines the exciting number of options available to those with interest in the visual and auditory arts.
2 – Felecia Moore, Lewis Library
5 – William Yin, Mathematics
9 – James Blackwood, Information Technology
11 – Wes Dodson, Athletics (Football)
14 – Arielle Butler, Campus Post Office
16 – Justin Thurman, English
16 – Beth Evans, Nursing
20 – Yson DeBlois, Film & Media Arts
21 – Jennifer Booker, Advancement
25 – Nicole Joseph, Athletics (Cheerleading)
28 – Laine Scott, English
Lacrosse
Ryan Comeau ’25 and Joshua Hargrove ’23 earned College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) Men’s At-Large Academic All-District selections. A two-year team captain, Hargrove earned his spot with a 3.5 GPA in Nursing and USA South All-Academic and All-Sportsmanship recognitions in 2021. Off the field, he has already accepted a position as a registered nurse at Shepherd Center in Atlanta where he will work in the Acquired Brain Injury Unit. For Comeau, he posted a 3.66 cumulative GPA in Pre-Engineering.
Beach Volleyball
Carmen Hamilton ’24 made program history as the first Beach Volleyball player to be selected for the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) Women’s At-Large Academic All-District Team. She has a 3.71 GPA in Marketing, along with a host of academic recognitions. A member of the International Honor Society for Business, Delta Mu Delta, Hamilton also earned a place on the Vice President for Academic Affairs List and a USA South All-Academic honor in 2022. On top of that she is a Vice Presidential Scholar, the LC Student Government Director of Public Relations and has an Academic Business Internship in the college’s Communications and Marketing Office.
Category: Academics, College
Keywords: Intern, Mentor
