Coleman Studies for Teaching Career at Bloomsburg
Emily Coleman is not the type of person who likes to sit around and waste time. The Huntington High School Class of 2013 member is studying elementary education at Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania and getting involved in numerous clubs and activities on and around campus.
“Everything is going really well,” Ms. Coleman said. “I really love Bloomsburg University. It was definitely a transition coming from Huntington to here, but I wouldn’t change my decision for anything. The workload is much more intense then high school ever was, but you have more time to do it. You just have to make sure you manage your time well.”
The college freshman is enrolled in six courses, including American Sign Language, Biology, English, Concepts Math 1, Psychology and an elementary education course based on her major. “These courses are all interesting in their own way,” Ms. Coleman said. “My favorite one is English.”
During her years at Huntington High School, Ms. Coleman was an exceptional photographer who thrived in the program led by art teacher Pamela Piffard. Although she isn’t interested in a professional photography career, the teenager is continuing on with it as a hobby. “It is just a way for me to express myself,” she said.
Ms. Coleman earned a $3,000 Huntington Rotary Club scholarship for participating in five of the Huntington High School Habitat for Humanity club’s “builds,” including traveling to Mobile, Alabama in 2012 and to New Orleans earlier this year, spending a week at time constructing homes in areas devastated by powerful storms.
“Habitat has taught me many things, such as leadership, patience, cooperation and how to deal with responsibility, but above all, it has taught me respect,” Ms. Coleman wrote in her Rotary scholarship application. “Respect for those people who give up their spare time to help someone else in need. That is what true selflessness is.”
In addition to Habitat for Humanity, Ms. Coleman was a member of Huntington’s Key club, involved in the Young Leaders program and the chairperson of the Relay For Life’s luminaria committee.
The teenager is a personable, warm and sincere young woman who genuinely likes folks of all ages. “I have met so many new people already and made really great friends,” Ms. Coleman said about her relatively short time at college. “Everyone here is very friendly and helpful.”
While the Huntington grad is working hard in her classes, she has set aside time to participate in numerous activities that she enjoys and believes offer valuable experiences.
“Right now I am involved in various things,” Ms. Coleman said. “I am a part of the Education Living Learning Community. This is a group of all education majors. There are trips we take together and we each get a mentor in the education program. This learning community is helpful in meeting people in your major and finding study partners. It provides resources to help all of us succeed while at Bloomsburg.”
The Huntington grad is also involved with three other clubs, including DASL, a community service and leadership organization, Wishmakers, another community service based club connected to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and PSEA, another club for education majors.
“I hope to join a sorority next semester since first semester freshmen are not allowed to,” Ms. Coleman said.