May 16, 2022
A native of Portsmouth, Ohio, Katie Fannin recently graduated from Shawnee State University with a degree in Adolescent-to-Young Adult (AYA) English Education. Having many family members in the education profession, Fannin is excited to continue that legacy.
“I will be a fifth-generation educator in my family,” she said. “I’ve known my entire life that this is what I am meant to do.”
Fannin found her way to SSU after selecting it as her college for the Portsmouth River Days pageant application. Although she was still in high school at the time, she knew she was destined to be a Bear.
“I felt adventurous and decided to study at SSU through the post-secondary option at my high school,” she said. “It just felt like home, so I decided to stay and complete my undergraduate program here.”
In her final semester at SSU, Fannin received the honor of being selected to present during the annual academic Celebration of Scholarship Conference.
“One of my professors this semester nominated me to present at the conference,” said Fannin. “I was honored. My presentation was titled ‘Students Interests in Relation to the Literary Canon’.”
Aside from being devoted to her academics, Fannin was also involved on campus with student life organizations Delight Ministries and the Delta Phi Epsilon sorority.
“As a commuter, getting involved was important to me,” she said. “I loved meeting all of my friends in my sorority and participating in philanthropic efforts and chapter events.”
Remember her academic journey at SSU, Fannin’s favorite part about the Education program was her ability to get into the classroom early.
“Being able to get field work during my freshman year was so helpful,” she said. “It helped solidify my desire to become an educator. It makes a difference in helping students decide their career path without wasting too much time or money.”
In the AYA teaching degree program at SSU, students learn the methods and skills to teach in their area of concentration – Science, English & Humanities, Mathematics, or Social Sciences. The program combines teaching experience with classroom learning and provides the coursework needed to sit for Ohio licensure exams.
To learn more about the education programs in Shawnee State University’s School of Education, visit shawnee.edu/education.