ASSET partnership will benefit education students

Education students will have an opportunity to further develop their teaching skills through a new partnership with ASSET Inc. and their PALS (Partnership to Advance Learning in STEM) program.

Last fall, School of Education faculty Jane Dean and Dr. Jenna Copper, ASSET Inc. representatives Sarah Toulouse and Deborah Matthews-Spencer Luckett ’81, and state Reps. Christopher Sainato (Lawrence County) and Mark Longietti ’85 (Mercer County) met with current students who demonstrated how PALS will enhance their teaching preparation and field experiences and equip them with the skills they will need for the 21st century classroom.

The Pittsburgh-based nonprofit organization ASSET Inc. received $275,000 in new state funding for PALS, which works with Western Pennsylvania colleges to train education students to deliver high-impact tutoring virtually to K-12 students who could not otherwise access one-on-one instructional support.

The new funding for the PALS initiative will help equip teachers-in-training so they can provide virtual tutoring to students who might not otherwise have access to one-on-one instruction.

The PALS program will be incorporated into Westminster’s teacher preparation coursework and virtual tutoring will be integrated into their field experiences. Preservice teachers also will receive real-time coaching from experienced educators during their tutoring sessions.

“We need to maintain a sense of determination and urgency to change how we assist our children and young adults. Westminster faculty and students are ready to do something innovative to advance the lives of school children and their families,” said Dr. René Picó, chair of Westminster’s School of Education.

Cultural Immersion

Michael Everhart ’25 spent his spring break in Tuba City, Ariz., immersed in the Diné—or Navajo—culture, an experience he hopes will make him a more wellrounded educator.

Everhart was one of eight students to participate in the College’s first cultural immersion trip, an educational opportunity to learn about Navajo life and culture and discuss social justice topics. Sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the group also visited various museums and national landmarks, including the Grand Canyon.

“Being immersed in the Diné culture was extremely eyeopening for me,” said Everhart, a sophomore music education and recording technologies double major. “As a future educator, I will have to accommodate and understand all students from a variety of different backgrounds.”