Each year, faculty in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) come together to select an outstanding student in their program to receive the honor of being named as their program award winner. Students selected for this award embody the very best of their program: they excel in their studies; they demonstrate leadership in classes and internships; and they have a genuine and tenacious passion for their discipline.
This year, faculty in the Learning Technologies program have selected Erin Morris as the Outstanding Student in Learning Technologies. Congratulations, Erin!
Q & A with Outstanding Student in Learning Technologies, Erin Morris:
What academic accomplishment are most proud of?
Winning a Program Award, for one thing! I am also incredibly proud of the work that my group created for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture for the EDIT 735/752 class with Dr. Clark; we researched and developed a prototype that created an online space for one of their physical museum exhibits, and it was a really amazing process to be a part of.
What organizations/affiliations have you been involved with while at Mason?
In my final semester, I was invited to join Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society. I’m just beginning to dive into the resources that they have available, but I am looking forward to getting more involved with KDP in the coming months.
What are your plans after graduation?
The learning never stops, as they say – I’m going to take a few months to breathe a bit, and then look into learning JavaScript. I am a multimedia designer, and life always takes me towards projects that involve web design, so strengthening those skills is a must! Outside of work and academia, I’m hoping to create some watercolor paintings that I can exhibit in local art galleries.
What is your favorite memory in CEHD or your favorite part of being a CEHD student?
I have really appreciated the time that I’ve gotten to spend in class with my various professors. I am thoroughly convinced that they are all the smartest people that I’ve ever met, and I’ve learned more from them than I ever thought I could.
What advice do you have for fellow CEHD students (especially those that are not graduating yet)?
Follow the rubrics, but don’t be afraid to be creative! Also, burnout is real, so try to find healthy ways to clear your mind if the stress of the grad school schedule is getting to you (my solution was to watch mindless B movies on Netflix).
Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself?
I just want to say thank you to the School of Education, and to all of the professors and fellow students who made my experience an excellent one. I’m not sure that I fully knew what I was getting into when I started, but I’m beyond grateful for everything that this program has given me.