William Ketelsen of Staten Island, N.Y., a Mount Saint Mary College History student on the teaching track, in his co-teaching classroom at John Jay Senior High School.
For Mount Saint Mary College senior William Ketelsen of Staten Island, N.Y., the journey from a shy freshman to a dynamic student-teacher was all about building the confidence to lead, on campus and in the classroom.
As his excitement for Commencement this May grows, so too does his enthusiasm for his burgeoning career as a teacher. Ketelsen is a History major on track to earn certifications in Adolescent Education (grades 7-12) and Special Education (grades K-12). His inspiration for entering the field came from his own experiences as a student.
“During high school, I had a lot of teachers that were pretty impactful in my development,” he explained. “I looked up to them as role models. I want to be that educator for the students of the future; that teacher that they can talk to. I like making the people around me feel comfortable and welcomed and valued.”
Currently, Ketelsen is completing his student teaching placement at John Jay Senior High School in Hopewell Junction, N.Y., where he teaches in a 12th grade government and economics classroom. The placement utilizes an Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) model, allowing him to work alongside experienced faculty.
“I was a little nervous coming into the economics portion,” admitted Ketelsen. “But I’m doing pretty well in teaching that class.”
He noted that the teaching process has reinforced his own understanding of the material: “I’ve learned a lot just from my teaching and researching,” he explained.
The robust Education program at the Mount was a major draw for Ketelsen when he was looking for colleges, as well as the college’s small class sizes. He also credits much of his success to his professors, such as the recently retired Jeffrey Kahana, Associate Professor of History. Ketelsen praised Kahana for his impactful storytelling and individualized attention to his students.
Ketelsen has been a familiar face on campus during his four years at the Mount. He was named to the Dean’s List for multiple semesters and received a donor scholarship during his time at the college. He served as a Resident Living Affairs Senator in the Student Government Association (SGA) for the past two years, and worked in the Admissions office. He was also an Orientation Leader (OL) for the past three years, a role he says contributed greatly to his personal growth.
“It honestly developed who I am as a person,” he explained. “In freshman year, I stayed in my room, talked to my roommates, and didn’t really go out to events that much. But after I became an OL, I became a little bit more extroverted...I kind of came out of my shell. I was able to feel more confident in talking to people and generally feeling like a true part of the community.”
His advice to incoming freshmen is simple: branch out early.
“Get out more, talk to more people, even if you may be uncomfortable in doing so,” he said. “You can go pretty far just by striking up a conversation with somebody. Networking starts when you step onto campus – don’t wait.”
For future educators, he suggested finding a specialty.
“Find your niche with what you enjoy, because the more you enjoy it, the better you’ll be at teaching and the more passionate you’ll be with teaching it,” he said.