Allison Friedsam

What is your educational background and what positions have you held?
I started SRU in Fall 2013 and graduated in May 2017. I am currently attending SRU online graduate school for a Master’s Degree in Education through the Reading Specialist and Instructional Coaching Program with a Literacy Endorsement. I recently began my first teaching job at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School which is part of the Charles County Public School System in Maryland.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
My favorite and most rewarding part of the job is knowing that I am making a positive impact on students’ lives. I love that I am able to create this environment where students feel safe, eager to learn, and like they matter.


What advice would you give to current students who are enrolled in the teacher preparation program, and to SRU students generally?
I would advise students to take advantage of every opportunity! Try as hard as you can to never miss a workshop or conference. The knowledge you gain from attending is so much better than second-hand information from a friend or peer. The connections and friendships made by attending these events last far longer than you would expect. Don't be afraid to venture outside of your comfort zone.

Name an SRU experience or faculty that had a positive influence on you and explain why.
Making the choice to live in the Education LLC freshman year was the best choice I could have made. I met so many people who shared the same passion for education and teaching that I had. Not all of the people on my floor were my "best friends," but we have all stayed in touch throughout the rest of college and now in the real world. Even though we all live all over the place, we still keep tabs on each other and root for each other's success.

What makes a great teacher?
The best teachers are made of dedication inside and out. All of the hours, conferences, and bad days are completely worth it when you love your job.

Hayley Filegar

What is your educational background and what positions have you held?
I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Slippery Rock University in May of 2015 with degrees in Early Childhood Education (PreK-4) and Special Education (K-8). I am a certified teacher in Pennsylvania. However, after graduation, I moved to Durham, North Carolina where I am employed as a 3rd grade teacher. During my first year of teaching, I also taught 3rd grade, but had the amazing opportunity during my second year to loop up to 4th grade with my class! While I love being back in 3rd grade, looping was such an incredible experience.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
The most rewarding parts of my job are the connections and relationships that I am privileged to form with my students, staff, and families. Our school community is close-knit, inclusive, and honestly feels like a huge family! I love that my students from the past two years still stop in my classroom to say hello before their day starts. So much of teaching is about relationships, and I absolutely love watching my students grow academically and socially throughout the school year and even further down the road. Every student that I teach leaves a mark, and as a teacher, I hope to leave something positive with every single student who walks through my classroom door.

What advice would you give to current students who are enrolled in the teacher preparation program, and to SRU students generally?
Slippery Rock University offers SO many amazing opportunities for professional growth and enrichment. Take advantage of these! I was fortunate enough to travel abroad and visit Sweden and Ireland through the education department. We visited schools, talked to stakeholders, and engaged with students from these countries. Clubs are another great way to grow professionally during your time at Slippery Rock. I was a member of Council of Exceptional Children and the Early Childhood Club, and both provided many opportunities to volunteer and work with children. Spend as much time classrooms and working with children as you possibly can! Any experience is valuable experience. Slippery Rock also offers incredible events such as Backpacks to Briefcases for students and SRU alumni to meet and network with each other. Slippery Rock graduates are everywhere, and networking can be such a great way to get your foot in the door! I also spent two years as a Community Assistant in the dorms with ResLife, which was such an enriching experience for me and truly helped me grow as a leader. Slippery Rock has SO many opportunities, take advantage of them and continue to grow!

Name an SRU experience or faculty that had a positive influence on you and explain why.
All of my professors in the education department were inspiring, helpful, and dedicated professionals. I really felt like I was valued as a student, and that when I needed assistance, it was available. However, there is one particular professor that helped guide me throughout my experience at Slippery Rock, and is still offering guidance to this day. Dr. Linda Zane was one of my very first professors at Slippery Rock, and her personal experience and wealth of knowledge about early childhood education was inspiring to me from day one. When I took Dr. Zane’s ECE Theory class, we studied education in different countries, settings, and spaces. We learned about educational practices in Sweden, and my class jokingly begged her to take us there. Fast forward to the next spring, and we were taking the first education department trip to Sweden! It was an unbelievable experience, observing and witnessing firsthand educational practices that we had learned about and studied with Dr. Zane. To this day, Dr. Zane is someone who I look up to, and often go to for professional advice or to share my own experiences as a teacher. The faculty in the education department at Slippery Rock are high-quality, and committed to helping you succeed.

What makes a great teacher?
In my opinion, passion, dedication, flexibility and the ability to build positive relationships shape a great teacher. Teaching is a difficult profession, but being dedicated and having a true passion for making a difference in the life of children makes every bit of hardship worth it. As teachers, we must always be flexible. Educational practices, policies, and expectations are changing constantly, and so are the needs of students. What works one day might not the next. As teachers, we should always be ready to change our practices and our mindsets to ensure the success of every single student. Lastly, I believe that a great teacher is able to form positive and meaningful relationships with every single student. We want our students to become lifelong learners, and I believe that it is equally important for us to also be lifelong learners and role models for our students.

John Vannoy

What is your educational background from SRU and what positions have you held?
I earned my Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from Slippery Rock University. I began my teaching career in the Sharon City School District where I served as a social studies teacher, athletic director, and assistant principal. I then went to Sharpsville as the middle school principal, transitioned to the Director of Student Services, and am currently the Acting Superintendent. 

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
The most rewarding part of my job is the interactions with our staff and students. We are blessed to have excellent staff at all levels and a tremendous student body. Our educational community is also extremely passionate about all facets of our school district.

What advice would you give to current students who are enrolled in the teacher preparation program, and to SRU students generally?
My advice to students not only in the College of Education but the SRU students in general would be to set out on a daily basis to set yourself apart from those people that you will ultimately compete against for jobs. Every day and each experience is of the upmost importance in building one’s portfolio and job related experiences. I would also encourage them to be lifelong learners.

Name an SRU experience or faculty that had a positive influence on you and explain why.
My SRU experiences have covered several generations. Both my wife and I attended SRU. Our oldest son Matthew is a SRU graduate, and our youngest son Michael will graduate this coming spring. 

Two individuals stand out in helping make Slippery Rock a great education experience. One is from my time as a student and one is someone that I currently interact with on a professional level. Dr. Richard von Mayrhauser was one of my history professors. He helped to foster both my love of history and aspirations of being a future teacher. The other is Dr. Herb Hunt. Dr. Hunt served as my mentor when I began as an administrator. I continue to benefit from Dr. Hunt’s expertise through his HH Education Events.

What makes a great teacher?
A great teacher needs to have the passion to want to work with children regardless of age. The impact of great teachers extend way beyond the classroom walls. They are individuals who truly leave an indelible impression on the lives of their students. Great teachers do what they do because of their commitment to the world of education. The mantra of a great teacher is that teaching is not a job, but rather one’s life passion.

Regan Weldon

What is your educational background from SRU and where do you work?
-M.Ed in Special Education and Special Education Supervisory Certification (SRU)
-Director of Special Education through Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
I love knowing that I make a difference in the lives of students with special needs.

What advice would you give to current students who are enrolled in the teacher preparation program, and to SRU students generally?
For Education Majors: Only people who have a true passion for teaching kids and can demonstrate true caring and patience for kids should become a teacher. If you don’t have those things, switch majors immediately! Also, learn as much as you can regarding differentiated instructional techniques, including how to teach online. Gain as much experience as you can with kids and teaching. Volunteer if you’re not getting enough face-to-face time with kids. All kids are unique and deserve teachers who are experts in childhood development so that the students and teachers are not met with frustration in this challenging endeavor of education.

For all SRU Majors: College is a unique part of your life. Embrace all that it has to offer…..in moderation!

Name an SRU experience or faculty that had a positive influence on you and explain why.
I loved getting my Master's as part of a cohort of educators. It gave me the opportunity to interact with my teacher colleagues and gain insight from their experiences. It allowed us to learn from and challenge one another.

Carly Nalepa

What is your educational background and what positions have you held?
I graduated from Slippery Rock University in December of 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education PreK-4. I currently teach 1st grade in Polk County, Florida. I was hired mid-year in January 2017, so this is my second year at Scott Lake Elementary School.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
This is the most rewarding job for so many reason. Every day you get to watch the "light bulb" go off on your students while they are learning how to become better readers, writers, mathematicians, and scientists. How lucky are we as teachers to be able to sculpt the minds of the future? To me, one the of most rewarding parts is when a student looks at you with the biggest smile after working out a tough problem and shouts “I did it!!”

What advice would you give to current students who are enrolled in the teacher preparation program, and to SRU students generally?
If you are currently enrolled in the teacher program, just know it is the best decision you will ever make! Listen to everything your professors say. They are experts and they are sharing their knowledge with us, so take advantage of them! Plan ahead! Use your curriculum map to plan each semester. This will help you stay focused on your end goal! When you do your field work and are out in the schools be proud to be a Slippery Rock student! Make connections, smile, and be friendly to everybody!

My biggest advice to all SRU students is to appreciate every little moment! Not to sound cliché, but your time here will truly be the best years of your life! Never say no to a good opportunity and take advantage of everything SRU has to offer. If you are having a rough day, I suggest getting a breakfast bowl from Elia in Weisenfluh. They were my go-to!

Name an SRU experience or faculty that had a positive influence on you and explain why.
One experience for me that has really stuck with me is the entire student teaching process. I learned so much being hands-on in the school. I was placed at such a wonderful school with so many awesome teachers, many of which were SRU alumni. My advisor for student teaching was Dr. Anne Slanina. She was my lifesaver in many ways. We bonded over our common hometown of Youngstown, Ohio. She is so passionate about helping teacher candidates.

Another faculty member that greatly impacted me was Dr. Williams. She was my academic advisor. Every time I walked into her office she greeted me by my name and knew exactly where we left off from our previous meetings. She always knew where I stood academically and would stay after hours to answer my questions and motivate me to keep moving forward.

What makes a great teacher?
A great teacher is motivated by children. A great teacher not only cares about students academically, but also cares about their well-being. A great teacher is a role model. A great teacher learns from their mistakes, is flexible, and is always learning new things. They hold their students to a high standard because they know that every child is capable of AMAZING things.