Five education students from Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) were chosen to attend the 2021 Teachers of Promise Institute, which was held virtually on March 20. The annual event provides professional development, mentor discussions, and networking opportunities for 100 of the best and brightest pre-service teachers in Virginia.
EMU’s Teachers of Promise this year are:
- Sarah Ressler, elementary and special education, from Apple Creek, Ohio;
- Ruth Reimer-Berg, elementary education, from Salem, Ore.;
- Hannah Nichols, elementary education, from Rockingham, Va.;
- Megan Breidigan, secondary English education, from Douglassville, Pa.;
- Rachel Sauder, secondary mathematics education, Lyndhurst, Va.
The honorees “exemplify strong potential for impacting students in the classroom, high academic standing, commitment to the teaching profession, and embody EMU’s teacher education mission to ‘teach boldly in a changing world through an ethic of care and critical reflection,’” said program director and professor of education Cathy Smeltzer Erb. “This is a delightful group of honorees. I am confident that these future teachers will positively influence the lives of each student in their classrooms as they create and advocate for just and equitable learning environments.”
Professor Barbara Wheatley is the students’ teacher education faculty advisor.
EMU’s education program values experiential learning, offering early practicum experiences that help candidates determine their professional path. Teacher candidates choose from 15 different licensure programs.
The teacher education program is National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) accredited through the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).