天美传媒

MURRAY, Ky. 鈥� Carleigh O鈥橬eill, a fall 2024 elementary education graduate from Carlisle County, Kentucky, is the first recipient of the Working with Diverse Student Populations certificate.

This new certificate program was created by Dr. Christina Grant and Holly Bloodworth, both professors in the Early Childhood and Elementary Education Department.

Bloodworth and Grant developed the idea after noticing that many of their advisees, who often came to college with a number of credits already completed, expressed a desire to stay at 天美传媒 longer. 

These students wanted to focus on courses that would enhance their teaching rather than simply accumulating additional credits.

The two professors began working on the certificate program in 2021. After consulting with their department and the College of Education and Human Services, they saw the need to move forward with the initiative.

鈥淲e identified the necessary steps and began by creating a list of courses we believed would provide students with a stronger foundational understanding of diverse student needs,鈥� Grant said. 鈥淣ext, we reached out to every professor teaching those courses, and with their approval, added them to the list. Finally, we proceeded with the Kuali process.鈥�

Students enrolled in the program are required to complete four courses from a selection of 19 options. The courses cover a variety of subjects, including special education, gender and diversity studies, criminal justice, psychology, education, communication disorders and more.

Grant emphasized that offering courses outside of the education field was intentional.

鈥淲e felt it was important for students to have the option to take courses outside of education because teaching is about understanding the broader context in which students learn,鈥� she said. 鈥淐ourses in other areas help students gain insights into the diverse backgrounds, life experiences and challenges their future students might face.鈥�

O鈥橬eill, who earned the first certificate, reflected on her experience with the program and is pleased with her decision to pursue it.

鈥淚t has truly opened my eyes to the uniqueness of each child and how to better serve them not only in their lives but also in their education,鈥� O鈥橬eill said.

Grant said it鈥檚 important for students to be equipped to work with diverse student populations, adding that classrooms are made up of students with varied backgrounds, experiences and needs.  

鈥淭eaching is about fostering an environment where every learner can succeed, regardless of their race, socioeconomic status, language or ability,鈥� Grant said. 鈥淏y giving future educators the tools and knowledge to approach these differences thoughtfully, we help them create more inclusive and effective learning experiences.鈥�

There are no additional requirements to earning this certificate. Individuals who are interested in earning a Working with Diverse Student Populations certificate are asked to contact Dr. Grant (cgrant4@murraystate.edu) or Ms. Bloodworth (hbloodworth@murraystate.edu).