FROM CAMPUS TO THE CLASSROOM: Mentorship Guides HPU Education Graduates.

According to Katie Ethridge, mentorship is what sets the Stout School of Education apart.

A 2014 graduate from the school's B.A. to M.A. master's program, Ethridge teaches science at Byers Middle School in Denver, Colorado.

When she was a student, her university community was filled with support and accountability. As a full-time educator, she now understands the impact made on her by professors who cared for her as a person and an educator.

Mallory Heffelfinger agrees. She graduated in 2017 and will complete her first year of teaching this spring.

Heffelfinger credits the school for equipping her with the skills and strategies needed to be a highly effective teacher and says she was provided numerous opportunities that fostered her love for service and leadership in the field of education. But, both she and Ethridge thank one specific mentor for their success.

Bridging the University Experience with Careers

"Mrs. Debbie Albert was my most impactful mentor at HPU," says Heffelfinger. "She served as my advisor, professor, and university supervisor during my student teaching. I came to refer to her as my 'Campus Momma!'"

Beyond the walls of the classroom and far from HPU's campus, Albert continues to mentor Heffelfinger and hundreds of other School of Education graduates both personally and professionally.

Albert joined HPU in 2011 as a clinical assistant instructor. A graduate of HPU's School of Education herself, Albert has been an educator for 32 years. Now, she's giving back to the school that gave hera start.

In 2012, only one year after joining the university, Albert became director of the New Teacher Support Group, an initiative within the School of Education designed to support first and second-year teachers as they transition from the university to the teaching profession.

"She has invested countless hours in helping me to become a better version of myself and a better teacher," says Heffelfinger. "Her thoughtful emails and coffee conversations have always provided me with the encouragement and insight that I need. I am the 'Miss H' I am today because of Mrs. Albert's mentorship of me as a whole person."

Ethridge shares similar sentiments.

"Mrs. Albert was pivotal in my success as a beginning teacher. She was always willing to help me brainstorm, connect me with rich resources for my classroom, and hear about my experiences as a young professional,"says Ethridge. "Even as an experienced educator, I can always count on the faculty at...