Mount Marty University to Host Educators Rising Learning Expo

Mount Marty University is hosting an Educators Rising Learning Expo on Friday, February 7, at 9 a.m. 

The expo, themed 'Teaching is a Work of Heart,' is an opportunity for students interested in a teaching career. Attendees will participate in breakout sessions provided by teacher-education candidates on mental health, classroom management, reading strategies and artificial intelligence, listen to retired local teacher and veteran Brooks Schild as the keynote speaker, interact with Mount Marty faculty and education students, and learn about academic programs. Mount Marty will offer students who attend this event a $2,000 scholarship per academic year if they choose to attend Mount Marty. 

"Educators Rising South Dakota is empowering South Dakota schools by fostering early connections with high school students and celebrating the rewarding field of education, building a strong pipeline of passionate, homegrown educators," said Travis Lape, state director for Educators Rising South Dakota. "Events like Mount Marty's Learning Expo are invaluable for high schoolers exploring a future in teaching — they inspire passion, connect aspiring educators, and provide a firsthand look at the transformative opportunities a career in education can offer." 

Jennifer Weber, Ed.D., associate professor of education and department chair of teacher education, said, "Educators Rising at Mount Marty University is an opportunity to showcase what makes education special here. We sometimes believe we build a counterculture with our teacher candidates here on our campus. Educators Rising is an opportunity for students to see that. Teaching is both a science and an art.  It is work of the heart. Students who come to this event will be able to learn about how education is a process of working alongside students and not just giving things to students." This event will also offer Educators Rising participants an opportunity to practice their state competitions while they are here on campus. "This is something not every school does," said Weber.  

"We look forward to welcoming students interested in a career in education to our campus," Greg Franz, vice president for enrollment management, said. "Mount Marty has long been a leader in education in the region and is firmly committed to transformative programs that prepare future teachers. Educators Rising has devoted itself to promoting the field of teaching to young people at a time when hundreds of teaching positions remain unfilled across South Dakota. We are excited to be with these students on their journey."

A continental breakfast and lunch and optional campus tour will be provided. Interested students can register here, and student advisors can register here. 

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About Educators Rising

Educators Rising is a national network that is transforming how America develops aspiring teachers. Starting with high school students, Educators Rising supports communities to provide passionate young people with hands-on teaching experience, sustain their interest in the profession, and help them cultivate the skills they need to be successful educators. The result is a pipeline of accomplished teachers who are positioned to make a lasting difference. Since its August 2015 launch, more than 30,000 students and teachers across the country have joined the network. These students are engaged in high school-based, cocurricular teaching programs where they explore the profession in deep, meaningful, and rigorous ways. Learn more here. 

About Mount Marty University

Founded in 1936 by the Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery, Mount Marty University is South Dakota's only Catholic, Benedictine institution of higher education. Located along the bluffs of the Missouri River in Yankton, with additional locations in Watertown and Sioux Falls, Mount Marty offers undergraduate and graduate degrees focusing on student and alumni success in high-demand fields such as health sciences, education, criminal justice, business, accounting, recreation management, and more. A community of learners in the Benedictine tradition, Mount Marty emphasizes academic excellence and develops well-rounded students with intellectual competence, professional and personal skills and moral, spiritual and social values. To learn more, visit mountmarty.edu.