The fall of 2017 I was a young freshman walking down the halls of Bunce Hall heading to one of my first college classes, with the same intention as the first set of students who walked the halls in 1923- learn how to become a teacher. Rowan University now holds twelve different colleges, awards twenty different types of degrees, and acknowledges 146 different clubs and organizations. However, no matter how many years go by, or how many buildings are constructed and land is bought, Rowan will never stop having students, just like me with identical goals and aspirations as its first graduating class of the Glassboro Normal School, nearly 95 years ago. 

In September of 1923, students were eagerly making their journey to the train depot to begin a new chapter of their lives at the first normal school in South Jersey; some travelling so far needing to live in a dormitory, the Warrick House that Dr. Savitz prepared for them. Similarly today, commuters and non-commuters ride in vehicles from far north of the state, and even across borders, lugging their belongings from home in the hopes of receiving a degree at this desired school. 

As an education major at Rowan University, there is a feeling of pride and excitement as I spend the next four years learning the skills to become a successful teacher. The school has transformed from a normal school, to a teacher’s state college to the well-rounded university it is known and loved as today. It has produced generations of students into well-prepared teachers, and I am another body that gets to be a part of this experience.

Learning about the history of the normal school made me feel very proud to be a student in the college of education at Rowan. It took a long, challenging eleven years to finally open the doors of the Glassboro Normal School in 1923, but the hardwork and dedication can be seen through the continued success of Rowan University. Year in and year out, new administrator and faculty roles have needed to be fulfilled, to keep the school up to par with its other collegiate competitors. There have been thousands of people who have walked in and out of the doors of Rowan University with their own experiences and feelings, same as the very first students who went to the Normal School.

There are many different colleges at Rowan University, some even fairly new, but the college of education is a steady reminder of where it all began. As an education major, I feel a sense of connection with all of the previous students that have taken the same track as me. Despite the ever- growing campus, Rowan University will continue to take us under its wing and mold us into future teachers. Often times, you see different programs emerge successfully and even unsuccessfully, shape-shifting to the new ideas that people aspire to try. However, there is always going to be that constant here at Rowan University, and that is their College of Education, and decades later, I get to be a part of the ongoing, continued success.

I believe that Rowan University has such a unique history that has significantly impacted the way it is known today. Its past lays the foundation for its goals for today and the future. Understanding the history of the university sets a standard of what is expected of the school, and keeps its morals and values in check. Additionally, it focuses on the desire to always strive for ‘perfection’ and to never settle for mediocracy. Times are changing as society is growing, and Rowan’s College of Education wants to be a driving force for the future of public education.

The Dean of the College of Education, Dr. Monika Williams Shealey has stated, “Our vision is to be a leading force in preparing and supporting reflective practitioners who use education to transform our global society.” To reflect back, the mere goal of the Glassboro Normal School in 1923 was learning the simple skills to become an efficient teacher in just two years. Now, Rowan’s standards are to reach across the aisle to transform the world.

References:
https://www.rowan.edu/home/education/deans-message
https://www.rowan.edu/home/education
https://sites.rowan.edu/fastfacts/