Northern State University Education
WHO:
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“We started as a school of education—a teacher's college,” said Anna Schwan , dean of the Melissa Atkins School of Education at Northern State University (NSU). “It's been our legacy since 1901, and we're just continuing to build on that right now.” NSU offers traditional teaching programs through the teacher education program, including early childhood, elementary, secondary, career, and technical education. One recent graduate from NSU received the Milken Educator Award for outstanding teachers. Sports sciences started out as a physical education program, and has only grown since its inception and still resides within the school of education. Majors offered in the sports science program include human performance, sports administration, and a new master’s degree with specializations in subjects like biomechanics, Schwan elaborates. Secondary education can be paired with a variety of other studies, Schwan adds. Essentially anything students want to teach, Northern is able to provide training on. “Also housed in the school of education are psychology and counselor education,” said Schwan. “We've got two tracks, school counseling, and clinical and mental health. A lot of service-oriented professionals come out of the school.” The H.P. Gerber Building that houses the School of Education hadn’t been remodeled since the ‘90s, and administrators, faculty, staff, and students thought it was time for something fresh. “The building feels much more alive and very open,” said Schwan. “The sheet rock walls are down, the space is open, and it's just very conducive to the way that teaching and learning happens these days.” With a 5 million dollar budget, more collaborative spaces and new technology have been introduced to the school. The new building isn’t what inspires Schwan, though. “The best part about Northern is the students,” said Schwan. “They’re incredible. They're funny, they're brilliant, they love to learn, and they're excited about being in classrooms and out in the field.” FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT NORTHERN.EDU+
HOME + DESIGN ISSUE september 2025
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