Miami grad follows in family footsteps, achieving Education degree
Jessica Goodwin dreams of teaching in local schools, like her mom and older sister
Miami grad follows in family footsteps, achieving Education degree
Jessica Goodwin dreams of teaching in local schools, like her mom and older sister
As a child, Jessica Goodwin spent some of her early years watching her mom, a third-grade reading intervention teacher in the Carlisle School District, during occasional visits to her school. She saw her passion for helping her students and her excitement at seeing them learn.
“It seemed like the perfect option for me,” she said. “I could see that my mom loved it, and I realized I had the same passion.”
Following her mother’s lead, in December, Goodwin graduated cum laude with her bachelor’s degree in Primary Education — 26 years after her mother graduated from Miami in 1999. Her older sister is also a Miami grad and a teacher in the Springboro School District, having received her bachelor of arts in Education in 2022.
“When we were little, we would play school together,” said Goodwin of her childhood with her sisters. “I’ve always loved being around kids.”
Miami may have been a family tradition, but there were other reasons Goodwin was drawn to the university besides the family legacy. She wanted to be able to live at home to save money, so the easy commute to the Hamilton and Middletown campuses from her home in Springboro was a good fit. She also liked the small class sizes that a more intimate campus setting like the regional locations provided.
In another tuition-saving move, she took part in the College Credit Plus program, which made it possible for her to graduate after only two and a half years.
While on campus, Goodwin participated in student teaching opportunities in a variety of school districts so she could get a feel for the different options available to her after graduation. In addition, she coached cheerleading at Springboro High School, her own alma mater, and regularly volunteered with the Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields, a recreation program for athletes of all ages with special needs, all while maintaining a 3.89 GPA.
“Miami was the perfect fit for me,” she said. “I loved the small class sizes because I could develop close relationships with my fellow students and my teachers.”
Goodwin plans to substitute teach until summer and then apply for a full-time job, possibly in her own home district of Springboro.