Kelly Stoker Prunty, BS ’07, MAT ’08
“Attending Austin College was life-changing for me. I entered as an English major, but my first education class stirred a new passion in me, and I quickly changed my path. After graduating, I spent five years as an elementary classroom teacher in Frisco ISD, and I am now the Math Curriculum Team Lead for Elementary at Istation. The Austin Teacher Program professors introduced me to the education world and shared a wealth of expertise, teaching us about the way kids learn and how to reach every child. We studied teaching strategies in every content area, practiced discipline and behavior methods, and debated current trends and policies in education. The ATP professors were our mentors and our advocates, and they knew the importance of spending time in a variety of classroom environments throughout the program. Small class sizes allowed each of us to have a personal relationship with the professors, who often invited us to their homes and invested a great deal of time in our futures. I keep in touch with many of them today, nearly ten years later. I left Austin College armed with a Masters degree, a wealth of knowledge, and more classroom experience than most of my colleagues from other universities or alternative certification programs. Without a doubt, I would highly recommend the ATP for any student interested in making a difference in the lives of children. Investing in Austin College and the ATP may just change your life, too!”