Graduate Assistant Beth Brown has become very involved with meaningful projects at The Patton College .

ATHENS, Ohio (April 27, 2011) – Graduate Assistant (GA) Beth Brown, who is currently enrolled in the Adolescent to Young Adult (AYA) master’s plus licensure program in Teacher Education at The Patton College, has found a rewarding way to learn and develop aside from simply taking classes. Through her work as a GA at the ABLE Resource Center at the Stevens Literacy Center, Brown has become involved with major projects at The Patton College from which she has seen tangible results, adding to her level of experience as she searches for a job.

“I’ve come to realize how much I have to contribute because of what I’ve learned here,” Brown said. “Everyone who has worked here has left with a wealth of experience.”

Brown, who studied theater as an undergraduate at OHIO, plans to graduate this June and hopes to find a job teaching middle or high school English. When she gets into an interview, her experiences as a GA will likely provide her with many useful talking points.

Her first major project involved developing a video about students transitioning to post-secondary education in the Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) program, which is supported through the work of the Edward Stevens Literacy Center in The Patton College. After finding success with and enjoying the project, Brown looked for more ways to get involved.

“I really threw myself into it headfirst,” Brown said. “Then, more and more opportunities came up. I feel like (the faculty and staff) have been so trusting of me.”

Brown’s most recent work with ABLE is a program titled “Speaking Student-to-Student,” which features adult student mentors speaking to ABLE students via online video chat. The four mentors, one of whom will speak in consecutive months from March to June 2011, discuss their experiences as non-traditional adult students and how they achieved successful transitions to post-secondary education.

“The first session was really well received by students,” Brown explained. “It’s one thing for a teacher to say you can do it, but it’s another to hear it from someone who actually did it.”

Brown’s experience illustrates the value that a GA position with The Patton College can have to a student who works with a supportive learning organization and excels in the tasks she is asked to accomplish. Students in these positions have the opportunity to do more than just menial work; they can play a substantial part in projects that really matter.

“As a College, it’s important we provide GAs with ways to engage themselves in meaningful opportunities,” said Dr. Jim Salzman, who serves as executive director of the Literacy Center. “Part of our responsibility as an educational institution is to give GAs real work that they can put on their resumes.”

Utilizing a GA is a win-win scenario; the GAs get valuable experiences from which they can learn, while faculty and staff get a motivated student who can assist on important, time-consuming projects. Sharon Reynolds, director of adult literacy at the Literacy Center, leads the “Speaking Student-to-Student” project but was quick to credit Brown with much of its success.

“Beth has been amazingly helpful, brainstorming with us from the beginning and creating and developing the entire project,” Reynolds said. “We couldn’t have done it without her. I really rely on her a lot.”

Brown’s main work with the project involves coordinating panelists, helping them to rehearse and making sure they have everything they need for the presentation. Essentially, she considers herself a liaison between Reynolds and the panelists, helping to ensure a smooth operation. She also develops the promotional materials for the online panels.

“[Working with the literacy center has] been one of the most incredible educational experiences I’ve ever had,” Brown said.

For more information on ABLE and the Stevens Literacy Center, please visit http://www.ouliteracycenter.org/partnerships/able/.

Story by R. Devin Hughes