If you are under the impression that your Mercyhurst education only qualifies you for a job in the United States, you may want to re-evaluate your possibilities.

Recently, three alumni of the education department (Shana Brown, Tawney Johnson and Jenna Gannon) embarked on a 10-month journey to China, where they are being greeted by an extraordinary task.

According to education department chair Leanne M. Roberts, Ph. D., these alumni have been hired by Dipont to “pilot an early childhood education program using an American curriculum to teach reading, math, science and art to Chinese children.”

Dipont, a company dedicated to incorporating international teaching resources to provide superior education to Chinese children, presented the opportunity to our undergraduates and graduates as a means to gain clinical hours in China.

The company became interested in Mercyhurst upon becoming familiar with our education department’s work with early childhood, particularly the Carpe Diem Academy, Roberts said.

It is not unusual, however, for education majors to teach abroad, as students in the past have completed clinical hours in Haiti and Ireland.

Teaching on the global spectrum, “is both a professional and personal opportunity,” Roberts said, inferring that these alumni will not only gain tremendous teaching experience as young educators, but will also undoubtedly grow individually through their experiences in China.

Currently, the alumni are working on their lesson plans and curriculum until the facility is operational in mid-October.

These three women are a testament to the education department’s devotion to train each of their majors to have the facility to teach any person, anywhere.

If you would like to know more about the education department, please contact Leanne M. Roberts, Ph. D. at (814) 824-2019 or lroberts2@mercyhurst.edu.