Student Voices - Post-Baccalaureate
Patrick Kavanaugh
NC TEACH
Class of 2003
Hillsborough, North Carolina
My background
I worked for Boeing as a propulsion systems engineer on the Space Shuttle Program for 13 years. My wife and I moved to North Carolina several years ago.
Why I chose the UNC School of Education
After moving to North Carolina, I started looking for jobs in the area. Finding little demand for a rocket scientist, I decided to get a lacrosse coaching position since I had been coaching for several years. The NC TEACH program was recommended to me by the principal at the school where I coached and the UNC School of Education was the closest science cohort location.
My experience
The program was excellent. The School was professional, attuned to the needs of incoming teachers, and focused on the fundamentals required to be a teacher.
Student life
The cohort model of instruction was extremely useful as a means of relating the experiences we were having as a teacher to the material being covered. The camaraderie was excellent and provided a means to compare our approaches to material, learn from others’ successes and failures, and let off some steam when necessary.
In 10 years
In 10 years, I’d like to still be teaching and coaching lacrosse and hockey.