A PLACE FOR MENTORING FUTURE EDUCATORS Reflections From the Assistant Dean of the School of Education The mission of the School of Education is to “prepare compassionate, professional educators.” The Bolthouse Academic Center will help us invest in the academic, professional, and spiritual growth of each student so they can go out and bless their own future communities. During field experience this semester, one of our students came to her professors’ offices looking both for resources to help connect with her reluctant students and for encouragement to persevere. Every semester, one-on-one meetings like this are a source of mentorship and growth for our students. The accessible offices in the Bolthouse Academic Center will make these meetings easier than ever. Our faculty and staff also entertain prospective students and their families. Recently, one of my students asked if I would meet with her friend visiting campus. This quickly became a full, joyful group, as my student and her mother joined the family members of her visiting friend. We want to help our visitors make Cedarville memories, and the center will bless those efforts too. Another part of our mission statement is to promote our students’ “commitment to the integration of faith, learning, and life.” We help them demonstrate this growth by showing “teaching competence and Christlike character through leadership and service.” This goal is abundantly clear in our Symbiotica learning lab! This project helps local homeschooling families provide a quality education to their students. Our education students gain teaching experience and serve as leaders in the homeschooling community. The Bolthouse Academic Center will provide space to meet with these families, collaborate with professors, and better serve our community. In all, the Bolthouse Academic Center will serve as a place where we can fulfill the School of Education’s mission: where we can foster spiritual and professional growth in both our students and our community. Lori Ferguson serves as Assistant Dean of the School of Education and Social Work and Assistant Professor of Education. She earned her EdD from the University of Cincinnati. Another part of our mission statement is to promote our students’ “commitment to the integration of faith, learning, and life.” We help them demonstrate this growth by showing “teaching competence and Christlike character through leadership and service.” 16
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