View from the Hill: Big Red Bag Ceremony

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - Western Kentucky University’s newest teacher graduates are getting some items to help launch their careers in a big red way.

Non-traditional student Tara Britt is about to become the first Special Education/Elementary Education graduate from any of WKU’s regional campuses.

“I can teach both special education kindergarten through 12th grade and elementary education K through 5,” said Britt.

Britt and her peers were part of WKU’s first of four Big Red Teacher Bag Ceremonies.

Between now and commencement, all of the region’s newest teachers will be getting a whole new bag of tricks.

“Everything from picture frames and pennants to red towels and squishy big red and a big giant mug for coffee and caffeine,” said Dean of the College of Education & Behavioral Sciences, Dr. Corinne Murphy.

It’s something College of Education and Behavioral Sciences Dean Corrine Murphy has done a variation of since she arrived at WKU in 2018.

“What we thought was wouldn’t it be nice if all of our teachers as they leave WKU and start their own classrooms had gear to really outfit their classroom as a Hilltopper and with all the spirit that goes with it,” said Dr. Murphy.

Kylie Milam is excited to use the new swag once she completes her student teaching in the fall.

“I can see myself using every single item that they gave us in my future classroom,” said Milam.

She says being this close to having her own classroom is a dream come true.

“From a little girl, I wanted to be a teacher. I played school every day,” said Milam.

For Britt, it was a dream she put on hold to have a family and she says finishing her degree hasn’t always been easy.

“Both my boys are super active in sports so between sports and work and school we just pushed through and did what we could do to finish,” said Britt.

Already working as a long-term substitute, Britt plans to take next Friday off for her college recognition ceremony on the main campus before getting back to work with her new WKU items prominently displayed.

“The coffee mug is my favorite and we are going to take a picture to put on my desk,” said Britt.

Dr. Murphy says the college has launched a number of new programs that are expected to produce a bumper crop of teachers in the next three years.

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