Since childhood, Mariah had her sights set on becoming a teacher. Through Rowan University, she was able to graduate with a dual major in Elementary Education and Literacy Studies. Her completion of Literacy Studies has also granted her certification as a Teacher of Reading in New Jersey. Mariah’s final task to achieve her undergraduate degree […]
teacher education
Meet Transfer Profs: Future History Educator Kendra Hahn
Meet incoming transfer student Kendra Hahn! Kendra plans on majoring in History Education (BA/MST) Program and is from Sicklerville, NJ (Camden County). She transferred from West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Kendra shares with us why she chose Rowan and what she’s looking forward to.
Welcome to Rowan! Could you share with us one thing you are looking forward at Rowan University?
Here at Rowan I am really looking forward to making new friendships and gaining new experiences, but then also being able to successfully pursue my passion.
What is one hobby, activity, sport or club that you’re involved in that you’d like to continue at Rowan?
In high school I was always involved with student council/government and it definitely made me into the person I am today, so I would love to continue that here at Rowan! I also would love to join the Student History Association and even possibly the History Honor Society since I was in History Club and National Honor Society back in high school.
Is there anything you’re hoping to discover about yourself at Rowan? Grow a new skill? Try a new interest? Starting a new activity, sport or club?
At Rowan I definitely want to join a sorority. I believe joining a sorority will provide me with a lot of learning opportunities and help me gain important skills, such as leadership and communication skills. In addition, I think joining a sorority will help me make connections on campus, meet a diverse amount of new people, and give me long-lasting friendships!
What majors are you considering and why?
This fall I will be in the History Education (BA/MST) Program. Ever since I was a young child, I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. Teachers have a unique opportunity to make a difference in the lives of their students, and I even believe they hold the key to secure our future. This is something I long to be a part of. Additionally, I have always had a passion for learning about history, so I have a desire to pass this knowledge on to others in as well as outside the classroom.
Did you tour Rowan or attend any virtual events? If so, which ones, and what did you think?
I have toured Rowan a few times when I was in high school, and I also recently just did the virtual guided tour where you walk around campus yourself with a guide on your phone. I enjoyed it a lot, and it made me very excited to be on campus in the fall!
Do you have advice for other transfers who haven’t committed to a school yet?
I know that transferring to a college can be scary and stressful, but just try and stay as positive as possible! The first couple weeks I realized I wanted to transfer, I won’t lie — I felt overwhelmed and not sure where to begin. However, I took my time and made sure to get as much information as possible so I could make a decision that would help me reach every one of my goals.
What is one thing about Rowan itself that you liked?
I love how many opportunities Rowan has for its students as well as their class sizes. I believe that smaller class sizes will give the professor the opportunity to know me as an individual and not just a student, which I find very important. Also, I am really excited that they offer a master’s program for the history education program that I am in!
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Story by:
Bianca Torres, senior music industry major
Student photos courtesy of:
Kendra Hahn
We are #RowanPROUD to be included on Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society’s 2021 Transfer Honor Roll, which recognizes select nationwide colleges and universities that foster dynamic pathways for transfer students.
TRANSFERmation Tuesday: Future History Teacher Kaan Aktas
Today we speak with Kaan Aktas, a senior transfer student from Bergen Community College who majors in History and Subject Matter Education. Kaan, a remote student from Fairview, NJ (Bergen County), is a first-generation college student.
What are your professional goals? And how is Rowan helping to support you in those goals?
My professional goals are to be the instructor of a history classroom. Rowan, especially my advisor, has done a great job in setting me up for my goals by creating benchmarks for my classes and exams where I can keep track of and complete.
How does your field impact the world? What impact would you like to have on the world in your field?
My field impacts the world by educating the future. I strongly believe that our students are the future of not just our country, but the future of the world. The work and effort you put into a classroom can completely benefit and alter the student’s way of learning for the future.
What inspired you to choose your major?
My passion for history has always been present. Since elementary and middle school I would find the subject interesting. History isn’t just about memorizing dates and people, but how those dates and people have impacted our current society and so forth.
As a student from North Jersey, how did you become aware of Rowan University?
I became aware of Rowan by doing some online research of the top best colleges in New Jersey. I initially fell in love with Rowan while on a tour of the school. The scenery is beautiful, and class sizes are perfectly arranged.
How long is your trip/drive “home” to North Jersey?
My trip “home” to North jersey is approximately an hour and a half.
What are some of the benefits for you, living this distance from home?
The benefit of living far from home is the college experience you could not have gotten anywhere else. Also, the friendships I have built and experiences I have had are one of a kind.
What are a few interesting or new things about Rowan’s South Jersey area that you would share with future students that are not from the area?
In every corner, there are lots of spots to eat on campus! The wide variety of food, not just located inside of the dining hall, gives students lots of choices for some grub!
What off-campus, local fun places do you recommend students check out?
Some attractions just off campus include many parks where you can take a stroll, or even study!
Why did you choose to transfer to Rowan University?
I transferred to Rowan University because of many factors. The professors are truly great! They work with you with your classes. Class sizes were also an important factor in why I chose to enroll. Unlike other universities in New Jersey, you are not put into a big lecture hall with a hundred other students where the professor has a lot more to manage.
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Story by:
Rachel Rumsby, sophomore communication studies and public relations double major
Photos submitted by:
Kaan Aktas, senior history and subject matter education double major
Header photo by:
Anthony Raisley, senior history major
We are #RowanPROUD to be included on Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society’s 2021 Transfer Honor Roll, which recognizes select nationwide colleges and universities that foster dynamic pathways for transfer students.
Rowan Global Alum Kristi Lancaster Realizes New Career Goal Through Education Programs
Today we feature Rowan Global alumna Kristi Lancaster, who recently earned both her master’s degree in Learning Disabilities and a Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant (LDTC) certification. Kristi discovered the programs through the New Jersey Teacher Outreach Program (NJTOP®), which supports state educators by making accelerated, graduate-level programs accessible either online at satellite locations, at a discounted rate. Kristi works as a master teacher for a Cumberland County elementary school district.
Can you explain what a master teacher is?
A master teacher is an instructional coach. We support the teachers by setting up or delivering professional development, modeling or co-teaching lessons, and assisting with district programs. We also analyze and share out on school and district-level data. We assist with the communication between the curriculum, instruction and assessment team and the teachers.
What made you decide to go for your master’s degree?
At that time, I was a general education teacher assigned to teach in an inclusion classroom, and I saw a lot of things going on in the special education program that I thought could be improved. I decided I wanted to get my LDTC certification, and in doing that I needed to get my master’s in learning disabilities.
Why Rowan?
Well, I wanted to stay local. I have two children, so I didn’t want to be far from them. Completing classes and classwork online really helped. The combination of the master’s degree and the LDTC certification [at the time] helped also. The NJTOP program, with accelerated online classes and discounted tuition, tipped the scales and finalized my decision to pursue my degree at Rowan.
Has there been a class that has been impactful for you?
There was a class on positive behavior supports that really helped to kind of change the way that I think about behavior issues and offered me a different perspective.
What is one thing you wish people knew about your academic discipline?
This is really specific to the LDTC, [but] a lot of times there’s friction between teachers and the LDTC, and I guess the biggest thing I’d like people to know is that we’re all on the side of the kids. It’s about everyone working together for the sake of the students involved, and functioning as a team in the child study team is extremely important.
Where do you see yourself after earning your degree?
Right now, I’m in a position that I love. I do love where I am right now, but where I see myself next is I would like to transition from the role of a teacher to the LDTC. So I would be doing more of the testing, child study team meetings, and things along those lines.
I’m also interested in pursuing a doctorate eventually, so that’s something I may be looking into. I may want to one day pursue opportunities in administration. At this moment, I’m not really sure. It’s exciting to know that there are still unknowns.
On your busiest day, what academic, non-academic and social responsibilities are you juggling?
I am a mother of two kids. I’m married. We have an English bulldog named Tank. During the school day, I check in with teachers, answer emails about any curriculum-based questions they may have, and visit classrooms. If I have a model lesson set up, I would go and do that. I may have a meeting with [someone from] administration, whether it’s building level or district level. I have different data-based projects throughout the year that I am responsible for, so I try to keep my school assessment data as up-to-date as possible. I’m also responsible for delivering online professional development for teachings, so I spend time planning those presentations.
I live about an hour from work, so the commute also takes up a lot of time. My children both play sports, so that takes up the rest of my time after school. My son has a lot of food allergies, so I have been promoted to head chef here at our house. I do a lot of allergy-friendly cooking. I typically work on my academic responsibilities once the kids are in bed so that I can focus as much as possible.
What is one thing this field has allowed you to do that you either dreamed of or you never thought you’d get to do?
I always saw myself in the classroom. I always wanted to be a classroom teacher, that was my number one goal all throughout high school, college. And then as I matured in my career, I started wondering about other options that were available. My preferences started to change. Rowan really opened up the door for me to explore those other opportunities that I didn’t think I’d be interested in. At this point in my life, showing up in a classroom every day is really difficult to do, but Rowan allowed me to do that through their online degree options.
Final thoughts?
The reason teachers don’t go after the master’s is they think there’s not a way to do it. You can do this. It’s an accelerated course, it takes eight weeks rather than 16. I went slowly. But if you wanted to go quickly and take your classes back to back, it’s a two-year program if you design it that way. And Rowan, they’ve been supportive with all of my needs, my professors, anything, they’re flexible with deadlines.
As teachers, we have so much on our plates right now you can’t think about adding one more thing. But our plates are big, and you can add one more thing. Rowan makes it doable. I thought it would be impossible, but it’s not.
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Doctoral Student Erica Watson Brown Believes Time Management is the Most Important Part of the Ph.D. Pursuit
Today we feature Rowan Global student Erica Watson Brown, who’s pursuing a Ph.D. in Education at Rowan. Learn more about her journey, research focus on urban studies and insights on work/life balance.
Full-time Rowan employee, Erica Watson Brown, is currently in her second year of earning her Ph.D. in Education with a concentration in Urban and Diverse Learning Environments. On top of her doctoral and full-time work, Erica is also a mother and a wife. She is interested in civil rights relating to education, which is evident in her research on diversifying the teacher workforce.
Having the ability to balance family, work and school was an important factor for the timing of when Erica would pursue this degree. Erica grew a strong interest in Rowan’s Ph.D. program four years ago when she attended an information session. There she asked if it was possible to do the program part time, and they told her not at the time. Erica had been working as a teacher full time in South Jersey, and at that point Erica thought the timing was not right. She said she “wasn’t going to drop any responsibilities in her life.”
Fast forward a few years later, and Erica landed a job at Rowan University as the Program Coordinator for Elementary Education. After working at Rowan for about a year, she decided it was time to look into the Ph.D. program again. For a number of reasons, she decided that this was a good time to go after the degree.
Erica’s concerns about having enough time for all her responsibilities were definitely warranted as she describes the most vital aspect of graduate school is time management. When asked about this, she explained: “The one thing that is the most challenging is all of the reading you have to do. There is a massive amount of information you need to know about different theorists because it will then inform your research at some point in time.”
Erica’s research focuses on diversifying the teacher workforce. This is an issue that hits close to home for her because she went to a school where she was “one of two women of color.” She went on to say she had many good friends and meaningful relationships at school, but it was not always easy.
“Oftentimes I felt like I was the voice of people of color,” Erica explains. “As a woman of color I have certain insight into situations that relate to social justice.”
Her research is extremely prevalent today since it has been made clear there are questions about race that must be asked in every aspect of American life. Erica seems passionate enough about this subject to institute impactful change.
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Story by:
Luke Garcia, junior music industry major
Passing the Torch: Master’s Graduate, Teacher Offers Advice
Meghan Pfizenmayer, who recently earned her master’s degree in Special Education, advises future graduate students to learn “time management, between working and school online, not waiting until the night before to get things done.
“I would do a lot of school work after my own school day was over. I might be there until 8 or 9 p.m., but it helped me keep everything going and not doing things the night before,” she explains.
Meghan, from Gloucester County, NJ, works as an elementary school resource room teacher for the Washington Township School District. She says her Inquiry in Special Education Settings class, a capstone course she took her last semester, was among her favorites.
“It was a research-based class. It was interesting, too, because we had to shift due to coronavirus. It helped me a lot to learn how to do online teaching,” she adds.
While celebrating her graduation with family, Meghan realized just how long she’s really been part of the Rowan community.
“I grew up on this campus. I went to Kids Rule summer day camp here from the time I was 6. Just walking around the campus, we would have field trips out here. It’s a [surreal] end to my journey,” she says.
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TRANSFERmation Tuesday: Globe Trotter Molly Worek
Today’s TRANSFERmation Tuesday features Molly Worek, a transfer from Bloomsburg University and Rowan College of Gloucester County (RCGC). Molly is a CADP English accelerated to master’s in teaching major. She holds a CUGS (certificate of undergraduate studies) in Japanese, a minor in international studies and is also pursuing Teaching English as a Foreign/Second Language certificate through another entity. She earned an associate degree in English from RCGC. Wrapping up her junior year, Molly lives at home in Mullica Hill, NJ (Gloucester County) and commutes to Rowan.
Could you share with us one moment that made you feel inspired or confident that you’re in the right field for you?
One moment, among many, that made me feel inspired and confident that I was in the right field for me was when I realized that on more than one occasion I actually taught my professors something new. I realized that if I could teach my professor, I could teach anybody. It was a huge confidence boost. Inspiration drove my determination to teach someone, anyone, something new every day. If I could teach someone every day, intentionally or not, then I am a teacher not just in the classroom, but anywhere I go.
What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned in your major this year?
The most interesting thing I have learned in my major this year is in Dr. Cindy Vitto’s course, Chaucer. There is not one thing I can specifically choose to be most interesting, as this course and its professor are simply amazing. (And yes, I have taken Dr. Vitto before, and will do so every chance I get!)
Why did you choose Rowan?
I chose Rowan because it was only 10 minutes from home, has an excellent teaching program, offers Japanese, and has an equestrian team. Rowan was also an affordable option for me. I hope to graduate without any debt to enable me to move directly into my career overseas. My choice to transfer to Rowan has also enabled me to be inducted into several national and international honor societies related to my new major including the Golden Key Society, Pi Lambda Theta, Sigma Iota Rho, and Tau Sigma.
What are you most looking forward to at Rowan next year?
Next year at Rowan, I am most looking forward to my field hours teaching in schools: interacting with students, making lesson plans, learning from other teachers, and making a difference in the lives of those I influence. I am also looking forward to the possibility of studying abroad in Japan or Europe. My current goal is to teach English as a foreign or second language in Japan at the high school level! I plan to move to Japan in 2022 after graduation, and once there, I will consider obtaining my doctorate and teach at the university level.
I also look forward to the fall season of the Equestrian Team as our spring season was cut short. Traveling to other universities and gaining points towards zones, regionals, and then nationals is incredibly exciting, and hard work! The hours we put in on top of our studies to fine tune our riding and participate in team activities is well worth it. Outside of Rowan, I look forward to representing my school, state, and nonprofit platform as Miss USA Petite New Jersey!
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Faculty PROFile: College of Education’s Angela Beale-Tawfeeq
Meet Dr. Angela Beale-Tawfeeq, Associate Professor of Health and Physical Education Teacher Education within the College of Education.
What is your area of expertise? My area of expertise is program 
development and evaluation for minority communities, drowning prevention and aquatic safety among African American and Hispanic/Latino populations, youth development and culturally responsive teaching.
I currently serve as a member of the American Red Cross, Scientific Advisory Council, Aquatic Sub Council, and the director of education and research for Diversity in Aquatics, a nonprofit 501(c)(4) organization whose mission is to save lives and reduce the incidence of drowning through global efforts.
Share an “aha!” moment you’ve had within your discipline that made you feel passionate about your field? When I came to realize that I could transform the perception of the field of health and physical education by showing how physical education can have a positive effect on public health. The perception of physical education and health education often times has been limited to stereotypical images of the “coach” with a whistle using their “outside voice” to encourage students to participate in physical education classes, hence physical activity. When I came to understand that I could become a “change agent” in my community, combining my love of family, culturally relevant pedagogy, social justice, to encourage youth through physical education/health and wellness, I strive to teach my students to view themselves as agents of change who will teach in classrooms with more than walls and balls.
Share with us one aspect of student engagement that you enjoy most, and why? The opportunity to empower communities and students to empower themselves with relevant and inspiring educational experiences that will enable them to take control of their lives, shape their career goals, imagine future endeavors and become active participants in their scholastic journey.
Describe an experience you’ve had with a student that made you feel excited about educating the next generation in your field? One of the most challenging aspects of academia is finding out how you will be able to add to the body of literature in one’s professional field in the areas of research, service and teaching. At times, I have struggled with finding my voice among the structured parameters of research which defines worth by one’s ability to “conduct a systematic investigation of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.” It is my belief that as an educator one must have or be willing to gain a true knowledge of the students and their world to present content that can evoke an intrinsic response.
From 2008 – 2013, I developed Project Guard: Make A Splash E.N.D.N.Y, an aquatic and water safety initiative developed for schools and community organizations to foster respect, responsibility and relevance. Project Guard: Make A Splash E.N.D.N.Y was a collaborative venture among the (ARC) American Red Cross of Long Island, USA Olympic Swimming: Make A Splash Initiative, Adelphi University, the Teaching for Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) Alliance and a neighboring local school district. It was this collaborative opportunity with students, at both the university and K-12 levels, that I believe that whether we are teaching in the local public schools or in an institution of higher education that we are supposed to provide students with relevant curriculum that will be meaningful and not dehumanizing to them. I believe we should design programs and opportunities because we believe that if we do not lead by example, we cannot expect our students to follow and model what they have learned and been taught.
I believe we teach because we believe that students are supposed to be researchers, problem solvers, critical thinkers, learners and much more. I believe we teach because we believe that students should be able to believe that goals in life are always achievable as long as they do not give in. I believe we teach because we believe that 
providing relevant physical education and physical activity may require collaborations beyond school. We do it because we know that students must be “global citizens” and culturally aware and be prepared to use strategies that will sustain them whether in the classroom and in life, for “a new world order is in the making, and it is up to us to prepare ourselves that we may take our rightful place in it” (el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz, Malcolm X, 1963).
What is one thing you wish people knew about your academic discipline or your research focus? One of the things that I wish people knew about the field? It is more than a field of play. One purpose of health education physical education methods courses is to help preservice teachers develop an understanding of, and acquire, the pedagogical skills needed to facilitate learning through movement. As a professional, I strive to engage stakeholders in the K-12 experience. I believe that through the creation of innovative programs, embedded in the richness of the culture, curricula, and communities, that we are all a part of, we will begin to create the next generation of effective teachers who are truly reflective of the students and communities they serve.
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Story and photography by:
Alyssa Bauer, senior public relations major