A rising educator
Jessica Morrissey has helped shape a number of TU student organizations, including a national initiative for aspiring teachers and their mentors.
Early education is not just about teaching letters, colors and nursery rhymes. “School plays an important role in making young children feel loved and safe,” says Jessica Morrissey, an early childhood and special education major.
Through internships at Glyndon Elementary School in Baltimore County and at TriDelphia Ridge Elementary School in Howard County, Morrissey watched kindergartners grow “from babies to young children with their own opinions. There is so much growth in that kindergarten year.” At the same time, a faculty mentor pushed Morrissey to grow as a teacher, building her confidence and helping her become more self-assured.
“ School plays an important role in making young children feel loved and safe. ”
A former president of Towson Teachers Education Club, Morrissey was instrumental in launching the TU chapter of Educators Rising, the first collegiate chapter of the group, which is now 200 members strong. The organization helps students cultivate skills to be successful teachers. The inaugural Maryland Educators Rising Conference at TU had more than 150 students and teacher leaders participating from TU and two dozen high school and middle schools. Having attended the Educators Rising National Conference in Dallas, Texas, the year prior, it made sense that Morrissey was selected to speak about creating a collegiate chapter the following year.
Morrissey also served on the College of Education Dean’s Advisory Council, gathering feedback from faculty, staff and students to improve the undergraduate experience and communicating those ideas directly to the dean.
If those accomplishments were not enough, Morrissey also spearheaded a TU service project with America’s Warriors Care Package Projects. “This group sends care packages overseas to military service members,” she explains. “TU students were so generous. We donated a car full of packages before the holiday season last year.”