Hannah Elizabeth McMillan, cum laude Winthrop University graduate, has been named the Richard W. Riley College of Education 2016 Distinguished Teacher Candidate, one of  the college’s most prestigious awards for future teachers.  Hannah was awarded a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in May and is dually certified in elementary and early childhood education.  She is employed by Marion County School District as a 4th grade teacher at McCormick Elementary School in Mullins, SC for the upcoming school year.
Winthrop’s Teacher Education Program is a developmental and clinically-based program that requires candidates to learn about and work with learners with diverse backgrounds and needs including, but not limited to, learners with special needs, English language learners, learners identified as gifted, and learners living in poverty.  Over 500 students are enrolled in its graduate and undergraduate degree programs.  The Class of 2016 completed an innovative recently-transformed teacher education curriculum that integrates field experience starting the freshman year and concludes with year-long senior internships.
Candidates for the Distinguished Teacher Candidate Award were nominated by their mentor teachers or supervisors and chosen by a selection committee.
Ms. McMillan was nominated by her 2015-16 senior internship mentor teacher, Mrs. Jennifer Woody Brown, 3rd grade teacher at Hunter Street Elementary School in York, SC.  Dr. Linda Hess Pickett, Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy in Winthrop’s Riley College of Education, served as Ms. McMillan’s senior internship supervisor.
In her nomination, Mrs. Brown stated that “Hannah is well-prepared for each lesson with objectives, materials, resources, and personal notes.  She assesses differing learning styles and uses appropriate tools to reach each of her students, resulting in a high level of students on task, and positive assessment scores.  She always treats each student with utmost respect, taking time to respond to personal stories with encouraging words, and consistently digging deeper in classroom discussions with ‘why’ or ‘how did you get your answer’ questions to enhance her students’ grasp of the material.”
Dr. Pickett adds that Ms. McMillan was an outstanding intern whose performance in the internship was exemplary.  “Hannah had the unique ability to engage students in meaningful learning activities that met standards in multiple subject areas.  She used assessment data to differentiate her instruction to help her students meet their learning goals.  Ms. McMillan was beloved, demonstrating sincere love and concern for her students and interacting professionally with parents, care givers, and colleagues.”
Following her Dillon High School graduation and year-long Teacher Cadet experience with Mrs. Beth R. Hinson, Ms. McMillan was awarded one of only 25 freshman Teaching Fellow Cohort positions at Winthrop University in 2012.  During the next four years she was given advanced educational, leadership, and professional development opportunities, as well as supplemental interaction with schools, communities, and legislators.
Funded by the state legislature at 14 institutions, Winthrop’s Teaching Fellows program is one of the largest and most engaging cohorts in the state.  Dr. Sherell Fuller, Assistant Professor in the Riley College of Education and Winthrop Teaching Fellows Director, states, “Hannah is the epitome of what we look for in our Teaching Fellows.  In addition to her many academic accomplishments, I most respect the disposition she brings into the teaching profession.  She has the desire to take all that she has learned and use it to better the lives of the students she works with.  Her students, parents, and community will be blessed to work with her!”
In addition to her appointment as a Winthrop Teaching Fellow, Ms. McMillan was a 2012-2016 Close Scholar.  The Close Scholars Program, established by the Springs Close Foundation, emphasizes that service is vital to the complete education of college students because future leaders in every field have civic responsibilities.  While at Winthrop, McMillan was inducted into the Kappa Delta Pi (Education) and Omicron Delta Kappa (Leadership) honor societies.  She served as a leader of the Student Alumni Council, and participated as a member of the Baptist Collegiate Ministry.
Founded in 1886 as an institution whose original mission was the education of SC women as teachers, Winthrop proudly maintains its reputation as the flagship teacher education program in South Carolina and the region 130 years later, now as a coeducational and comprehensive public university.  Winthrop’s Richard W. Riley College of Education is dedicated to the highest ideals of teaching, scholarship, and service for the purpose of preparing professionals who are committed to the betterment of society through a lifelong quest for excellence in leadership, stewardship, collaboration, and innovation.