{"id":1303,"date":"2018-11-08T14:33:29","date_gmt":"2018-11-08T14:33:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/?p=1303"},"modified":"2021-07-14T19:03:35","modified_gmt":"2021-07-14T19:03:35","slug":"siu-day-of-givings-rest-of-the-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/?p=1303","title":{"rendered":"SIU Day of Giving\u2019s Rest of the Story"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"SIU<\/p>\n

For the 2018 SIU Day of Giving, Nancy and Paul Mundschenk had one simple goal: Ensure all students graduating from SIU\u2019s Teacher Education Program<\/a> had a proper pinning ceremony.<\/p>\n

After making a $5,000 gift to the Teachers Shape the Future Fund<\/a>, they challenged others to do the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone got involved,\u201d said Nancy Mundschenk, director of the Office of Teacher Education. \u201cTo see the support for our future teachers was incredibly touching.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mundschenk said the pinning ceremony symbolizes an important milestone for the candidates \u2013 the moment they transition from students to professional educators.<\/p>\n

\u201cEach teacher candidate was called up on stage in the Guyon Auditorium and pinned by their public school mentor teachers. A personal note about the candidate, highlighting their strengths and sharing how they had matured as an educator during their time as a student teacher was read by their SIU Faculty Clinical Supervisor,\u201d Mundschenk said.<\/p>\n

After the pinning, the new teachers read the Educator\u2019s Oath together, affirming their dedication to the profession.<\/p>\n

The money raised during the SIU Day of Giving<\/a> went toward the expense of the ceremony. The remaining funds will cover some of the cost of the teaching performance assessment, which is a required test that all candidates must pass before receiving their teaching license. The test is $300, and Mundschenk hopes to give at least $100 to each candidate.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe celebrate the fact that these candidates are preparing to go out and shape the future of some young people. There\u2019s no more meaningful profession,\u201d Mundschenk said.<\/p>\n

One such candidate was Jason Seaman, a COEHS alumnus and Indiana middle school teacher, who garnered national attention for his heroic actions during a May school shooting. Seaman was grand marshal of this year\u2019s Homecoming festivities.<\/p>\n

The college is already looking forward to the next SIU Day of Giving scheduled for March 6, 2019.<\/p>\n