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`Snapper: What do you teach at Millersville?
Dr. Desmond: I am a professor in the department of education foundations…. I teach in the foundations block for B.S.E. majors. I teach the History, Philosophy, and Sociology of Education course, EDFN 211. I also teach a perspectives course. At the graduate level I am graduate coordinator, and teach in our principal certification leadership program.
Snapper: Where did you go to school?
Dr. Desmond: My undergrad is from Muhlenberg, and then I was in Teacher Corps. My doctorate is from Syracuse.
Snapper: What were your majors?
Dr.Desmond: At Muhlenberg I majored in German and English. Then I was in elementary education at the University of Kentucky. And then at Syracuse, it was cultural foundations of education with a minor area in education administration.
Snapper: Why did you decide to teach?
Dr. Desmond: I’ve always enjoyed the act of teaching and learning, since second grade. I was discouraged from going into teaching. I was valedictorian of my class, graduated magna cum laude, had a lot of academic awards. At that time, there were two forces.
Advisers were saying there were other opportunities besides teaching, while the traditional gender roles at the time encouraged women to teach, so I was sort of caught between, ‘do I want to teach or not?’ But after graduation, probably when I went into Teacher Corps, which was a federal project for low-income schools, I fell in love with teaching, and that was over 30 years ago. It’s just intellectually stimulating every day, and children and young adults are always humorous in one way. So I think it’s fun, I have a passion for it.
Snapper: Why do you like teaching at Millersville?
Dr. Desmond: I think our students are really exceptional young people. They’re very hard working in the classroom and outside. They really have a fine appreciation for the opportunities in their education.
I have taught at Dickinson, Dartmouth and Syracuse before, and if I had to look at a differences between the student bodies, I believe our students are caring young individuals; involved in community service projects of all sorts, and I really enjoy them a lot.
Snapper: What are you involved with at Millersville, besides teaching?
Dr. Desmond: I am advisor of the Students for a Democratic Society here on campus. I’m also involved in the women’s studies activities on campus. I have also been involved in various activities with the social equity programs.
Snapper: What are your hobbies outside of Millersville?
Dr. Desmond: Now that my children are 25 and 28, they were very important to my life and still are, but I kayak, and I hike. I really enjoy an ocean anywhere, and going to the beach. I’m very involved in several community activities in the southeast portion of Lancaster City.