From Learning to Leading: William Penn Graduates Enter Education

09/23/2026

William Penn University Education graduates are taking what they learned at Penn into classrooms and schools across the country.

For many, that transition begins before graduation.

“When we look at job placement data, what we see is that if our students want a job, they are able to find one!” said Jamie, of William Penn University’s Education Division. “We have many student teachers who secure teaching positions before they complete student teaching.”

Recent graduate Liam Bryant is one of those graduates starting his career in education this fall. Bryant is now a Health Teacher at Farmington Intermediate School in Farmington, Missouri, where he also serves as a Varsity Football Coach.

Bryant’s interest in education started long before he came to William Penn.

“While in high school, I had the opportunity to give back to my community by coaching youth sports,” Bryant said. “Through coaching, I fell in love with helping young people reach their full potential and build their confidence. That is when I knew that if I wanted to do this for a lifetime, I should pursue a career in education because you get to do that every day.”

Bryant began his college career at another university before transferring to William Penn after his first semester. The move gave him the opportunity to continue football while finding his place in Penn’s Education program.

“I met so many people, built lifelong friendships, grew as a leader, and, most importantly, grew as an educator through all the knowledge and resources the Education Division had to offer,” Bryant said. “There were so many great professors and opportunities to grow my knowledge as a future educator.”

At William Penn, Education students do not wait until student teaching to gain classroom experience. Students spend between 15 and 30 hours in classrooms during their first year, with many beginning during their first semester. Before student teaching, students complete at least 80 hours in classrooms alongside licensed teachers, and many complete more than 100.

“Our goal is to balance theory with practice,” Jamie said. “Our students are in real classrooms with licensed teachers for at least 80 hours prior to student teaching. Many students log 100+ hours prior to student teaching. Real-life application of skills is a great way to prepare for having your own classroom.”

For Bryant, spending time in different classrooms gave him the chance to see firsthand how teachers approach their work.

“Some of the biggest experiences at William Penn that prepared me to become a teacher were visiting different classrooms throughout my semesters and years, watching teachers in action, and seeing different classroom management strategies and ways to structure a class period,” Bryant said. “However, the biggest impact by far was student teaching. I learned from great teachers in the community while receiving feedback from my cooperating teachers and professors on how to improve my own teaching.”

His coursework also became more meaningful as he began applying it in real classrooms. Bryant pointed to classroom management, differentiated instruction and tiered curriculum, methods courses and classroom media as areas that became especially useful once he began teaching.

Student teaching then gave him the opportunity to bring those experiences together.

“Student teaching is a culmination of their learning,” Jamie said. “At that point, students have completed their coursework and 80+ field experience hours. During this time, they work alongside a Cooperating Classroom Teacher to implement their learning. They receive real-time feedback from the Cooperating Teacher and a University Supervisor.”

That preparation does not stop once students begin student teaching. William Penn also helps students prepare for the process of finding their first professional position.

Student teachers attend an evening seminar every other week during their placement. Those seminars include information about finding teaching positions, principal panels and other resources. William Penn Licensure Official Dana Oswald also works with students as they obtain their Iowa teaching license or navigate the process of applying for or transferring their license to another state.

For Bryant, one of the most useful parts of that preparation was completing a mock interview at the school where he was student teaching.

“When I applied for jobs with different districts, I felt very prepared for the hiring and interview process,” Bryant said. “Before my first real interview, I had already heard possible questions I might be asked and had practiced how I would answer them. After the mock interview, I also received feedback on how I could showcase myself even better.”

When it came time to begin applying, Bryant said the process was easier than he expected. He researched districts that interested him, looked through available positions and began interviewing before ultimately accepting his position in Farmington.

His experience reflects what Jamie sees among other William Penn Education graduates entering the profession.

“One of the reasons I believe our graduates find full-time positions is because of their level of preparation and commitment to students,” Jamie said. “We have developed strong partnerships with local districts and districts across the state. This has also led to more of our graduates being offered full-time positions in those districts.”

Bryant’s time at William Penn also gave him opportunities to become involved in issues affecting future educators.

While at Penn, he became part of the Student Teacher Stipend Partnership, a student-led effort developed with the Oskaloosa Community School District to address some of the financial challenges students face while student teaching.

The idea began after one of Bryant’s Education classes visited the Iowa Capitol. During the trip, students spoke with legislators about the financial challenges that can come with working full time as a student teacher without pay.

“My role in developing and helping implement this project in the Oskaloosa Community School District started with meeting Superintendent Dr. Mike Fisher at Coffee and Conversation, which got the ball rolling,” Bryant said. “I continued meeting with Dr. Fisher to determine the next steps. I served as the liaison between both sides, helped develop the proposal, and oversaw the implementation during its first year.”

Bryant worked alongside fellow students Carson, Eleanor and Riley as the group worked with Oskaloosa Schools to develop the program. Their work eventually took them beyond Oskaloosa, with opportunities to present at both the state and national levels.

“The team of students leading this work was incredible,” Jamie said. “Liam, Carson, Eleanor, and Riley spend many hours working with the administrators at Oskaloosa Schools to brainstorm and develop plans to implement a Student Teaching Stipend. I could not be more proud of this group.”

Bryant also presented at the National Education Association-Aspiring Educators Conference. The experience introduced him to other issues facing education and gave him the chance to share work he cared about with educators and future educators from across the country.

“I think the thing I am most proud of from my time in the William Penn Education program is leaving the program better than I found it,” Bryant said. “I have always been told through sports and education to leave something better than you found it. I was able to accomplish that by helping create this stipend program, which I hope will continue to evolve and grow even bigger at William Penn, across the state of Iowa, and eventually across the nation.”

Bryant is one example of where William Penn Education graduates are going after leaving Penn. Alumni of the program are working as teachers and administrators, serving as adjunct instructors and continuing their education through advanced degrees.

Jamie said one quality that continues to stand out among Penn graduates is their focus on the students they serve.

“Our students are very dedicated and compassionate,” Jamie said. “We focus heavily on relationships, and we see that as they enter the profession. We want to ensure that our graduates know how to support the whole child and their development academically and socially.”

That focus is something Bryant said he has already carried with him into his own career.

“My experiences at Penn taught me that being an educator goes beyond the classroom and that building relationships and serving others are just as important as teaching a lesson,” Bryant said.

As another group of William Penn graduates begins working in schools this fall, they join generations of Penn alumni who have made education their career.

“It is incredible to see the amount of graduates over the years and think about how many lives have been changed because the William Pennn University Education Program exists,” Jamie said. “Every teacher we prepare goes out into the world and creates a small ripple that spreads. We hope to continue that legacy and make a positive impact in education!”

William Penn University invites alumni, students, families, and community members to join in this exciting evening as the Statesmen take the field under the lights and celebrate a partnership that continues to make a lasting impact on campus and beyond.