Sara Champlain, MA in English

“I am blessed to wake up every morning and know that I am a difference maker. I am able to pour into my students academically, spiritually, and emotionally, which is highly rewarding.”

What was your favorite aspect of the MA in English program?

As a graduate student, the most positive aspect of my experience at APU was my relationships with my professors and their desire for my growth. All of the professors were hyper-aware of the fact that I was completing the program while concurrently teaching high school English. They were willing to tailor the assignments, so that they were all things that I could apply to my classroom. In fact, Michael Dean Clark, PhD, allowed me to create a unit plan on digital literacy as my final project in his class. I was able to implement the unit plan last spring with my 11th grade writing class.

How do you see your work as “making a difference”?

On the average work day, I interact with at least 100 high school students; that means that I have 100 opportunities to make a difference. Of course teaching them English is a priority to me, but pointing them towards Christ supersedes everything.

Did any professors have an impact on your graduate education experience?

Michael Dean Clark, PhD, Nancy Brashear, PhD, and Thomas Allbaugh, PhD were all incredibly influential in my development as a writer and as a teacher. They invested in my research and supported me as I navigated implementing practices into the field. In addition, they influenced my pedagogy, as all three professors have extremely high standards, but teach with much hospitality, empathy, and understanding.