Early Childhood Education students get first taste of college life at Slippery Rock

A.W. Beattie’s Early Childhood Education students visited Slippery Rock University in October with Cooperative Education Coordinator Mrs. Joanne Vano and their instructors, Mrs. Cari Ludwig and Mrs. Diane Murray.

Students learned about college admissions, the campus, opportunities available to them, and specific requirements regarding education, child development and psychology studies. 

They also shadowed Deer Lakes and A.W. Beattie board member Dr. Eric Bieniek’s classroom in the Special Education department where they met ECE alum and SRU senior Savanna Wilson. The experience allowed them to see the day in the life of an education major at SRU, and they participated in a group activity with other college students in the class discussing autism spectrum disorders.

Students also toured a mock college dorm and ate lunch at the Boozel Dining Hall where they met 2018 Pine-Richland graduate Patti Cobaugh and 2019 North Allegheny graduate Elise Steele.

“I’m taking a class for Human Development and Education right now, and Mrs. Cari’s class, the ECE class at Beattie, has made college so much easier,” Patti said.

“I wish everyone came to Beattie,” Elise added. “It was the most helpful thing I did for college and the best decision I’ve made in my life.”

While visiting, Mrs. Ludwig also ran into Savannah Livingston, a 2019 Northgate alum of the Sports Medicine program taught by Mr. Darren Vtipil. 

“I have a 98 percent in Anatomy because of Sports Medicine at Beattie,” Savannah said. “I’m actually tutoring some of my classmates using my notes that I took while at Beattie.  It’s awesome!”

For more pictures of the trip, visit our Instagram!