Small class sizes and a supportive setting are advantages of the Regional Primary Education Cohort at Miami Hamilton
Students like the chance to get a four-year degree without living on campus
Small class sizes and a supportive setting are advantages of the Regional Primary Education Cohort at Miami Hamilton
The Regional Primary Education Cohort (RPEC) at Miami University offers the chance for students seeking a bachelor’s degree in Primary Education to be part of a small group of students who attend classes on Miami’s Hamilton campus and study together throughout the four years of the program.
Students say the experience of getting to know a small number of classmates through their entire college experience provides a sense of intimacy and closeness that is very appealing.
Each cohort of approximately 25-30 students works together from the start, explained RPEC adviser and senior lecturer Jennifer Mysona. The students will continue to take between one and five classes together each semester until they graduate. The coursework is the same as at Oxford, but due to the smaller numbers, it provides a chance to form strong bonds within the group.
“I think the RPEC program emphasizes the importance of collaboration and community building,” she said. “They learn how to share ideas, brainstorm creative solutions, and support each other.”
Brian Schultz, associate dean for external relations and partnerships, said RPEC was launched in 2019 with the goal of providing area high school students choices when it comes to pursuing a four-year degree in Primary Education.
“This program fits a need for students who want a Miami degree but for whom the residential campus experience doesn’t fit,” he said. “For many students, commitments at home, whether it’s work or family-related, make it difficult or impossible to leave and attend a residential campus. Miami’s programs are intentionally equity focused. So students can choose the type of education that works for them.”
Gracie Lovely, who grew up in Camden and plans to return to teach in her home community after she graduates in December, said this type of setting suited her perfectly.
“I like to form deeper relationships, and I thought a school that had smaller class sizes would give me the chance for more of that,” she said. “Within the cohort experience at Miami Regionals, you build such a strong community. It’s almost like a family.”
For Lovely, teaching is part of her heritage. Her mom is an educational assistant at a preschool in her hometown and her sister-in-law and a few cousins are teachers. Several of them are Miami graduates, she said.
“Miami was a natural choice for me,” she said. “But I knew I wanted to live at home because I got married during my second year at the Regionals. This program has allowed me to get a Miami degree but have flexible options for where to live.”
In addition, the flexibility allowed Lovely to begin substitute teaching in the Preble Shawnee Local School District near her home almost immediately. This was a big advantage, she said.
“I hope to get hired in my home district after I graduate, so this has given me the chance to really get to know some of the people I could be working with.”
Sydnee Cromer realized she wanted a career in teaching during high school at Talawanda when she tutored the child of a family friend who was in third grade at the time.
“I saw how excited he would get when I could explain a topic that he didn’t get before,” Cromer said. “I knew then this was what I wanted to do. I saw how my efforts made an impact.”
She learned about the RPEC program when a campus representative from Miami came to speak at Talawanda. She felt a strong sense that the program would work for her.
“It felt comfortable right away,” she said after starting her RPEC classes in the fall of 2024. “I had always attended small schools, so having a close relationship with my professors and classmates felt normal. You click so fast because you see them all the time.”
Studying for tests or projects felt easier because she was very comfortable going to her professors or classmates for questions or help.
“Whether it was finals or projects, we could ask each other for feedback,” she said. “That ability to work together makes you feel more supported. Our teachers were also so incredibly kind and helpful. The whole team is great.”
Miami’s RPEC program provides students a dedicated program coordinator who advises them throughout their time in RPEC, offering a one-stop experience to get advice or figure out class schedules.
Lillie Kluesner said she also chose the RPEC program after a Miami representative came to West Carrollton High School to speak.
“I knew it was the best fit for me,” she recalled. “The Regionals campuses bring a sense of community. I feel it’s easier to connect with your professors one-on-one than it would be on a bigger campus.
“The relationships I’ve made with my professors have helped me grow as a student and be more prepared as a teacher. They are amazing. They are so welcoming.”
Kluesner said she also took part in career development opportunities, such as shadowing, which paired her with a fourth-grade teacher for a close-up view of the day-to-day job. She plans to take part in more of these experiences as she advances to her second year at the Regionals.
Mysona said RPEC students can take advantage of multiple opportunities for internships, camp counseling jobs within Miami Regionals STEAM summer camps, and student teaching.
In addition, the Regionals offers programs such as Work+ that provide the opportunity for paid work in a related field and tuition reimbursement that can dramatically cut the costs of college while providing experiences to help build a resume. Also, students who participate in the College Credit Plus (CCP) program will be considered for a $2,000 renewable scholarship.
Mysona added these final thoughts: “The faculty teaching in the program truly model and demonstrate the skills and strategies that they are teaching in their classes. As future teachers, our students need to know that they are not alone in this endeavor of educating future students.”
