Why Mount Union
One of my friends from high school who is a year above me goes to Mount and some of my friends in my grade in high school were looking and ended up going to Mount Union. I was torn on my decision until really late, but everything just seemed to fall into place for Mount and that was my decision.
Home Away from Home
The people I have met and gotten close with make me feel at home. They are the reason I want to come back after breaks. They always support me whenever I need it most.
The Mount Union Difference
Whenever I got on Mount’s campus when looking at schools there was always a feeling of comfort. One of the biggest draws for me was the newly built theatre building.
Why Theatre and Early Childhood Education
When I started college I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do, but theatre was a passion of mine. I was told and realized that I can gain practical experience for any job as a theatre major. Then I attempted a couple different options for a minor and one of those included Education. Once I started observing in the classroom, I knew I wanted to teach. After seeing if it was even possible, I decided to add the second major of Early Childhood Education.
Hands-On Learning Experience
With the Theatre major and especially with the Theatre Scholarship, it is required to participate in a show every semester. I have been fortunate enough to be cast in a show every semester that I’ve been here. These shows help me gain real experience with acting technique that is obviously needed for theatre. Acting classes teach technique as well, but putting together a show from start to finish provides that extra step in hands-on learning. For my first education class, Intro to Education, we are assigned to different field experiences in various schools. We can see right away first-hand what a classroom is like and what it actually means to be a teacher, even if it’s only a short amount of time at first. This opportunity to be in an elementary classroom solidified my decision to further the Education major and hopefully someday be a teacher.
Favorite Professor
I’d say my favorite professor is Kevin Kern. He is one of the reasons why I fell in love with Mount Union. He encouraged me to get involved with theatre automatically and made me feel wanted. That feeling hasn’t changed. He was also the one who encouraged me to major in theatre and helped me figure out that it was the right decision for me. Then he supported me with my decision of adding a major. Whether it’s a question about a class, or the show I am in, or audition prep, or scheduling he has been there to help.
Liberal Arts Education
The liberal arts education is the reason I discovered I wanted to major in education and then actually made it possible. Without having to try different classes for a possible minor, I most likely wouldn’t have ever taken an education class. Also, I am able to add the major at the end of my sophomore year because of the way extra classes are built into almost any major.
Advice to Prospective Students
Try not to get overwhelmed with all your choices, but rather focus on what you like and might not like about your top schools. It’s okay to not know right away and whatever you decide will be right for you.