Profiles of Literacy Education Program Students at SUNY Plattsburgh

Student Profiles

Meet Some of Our Students

Mary Moran, Graduate Student

Hi! My name is Mary Moran and I am currently earning an M.S.Ed. Literacy Education (Birth-Grade 6) degree. I am the graduate assistant for the Literacy Education Department this year. I came to Plattsburgh in 2001 as an undergraduate student. When I began school here, I was a psychology major. The classes were fascinating and I ended up learning a lot about myself and my perception of the world around me. During my sophomore year, I had the opportunity to be part of an Alternative Winter Break Program through the Project H.E.L.P. office on campus. I traveled with other SUNY Plattsburgh students to Bridgeton, New Jersey to help out with a Headstart for Preschoolers Program. I assisted the main classroom teacher for the week and I absolutely fell in love with teaching. When I returned to Plattsburgh, I changed my major to elementary education and have not looked back since!

I graduated with a B.S. in Elementary Education from SUNY Plattsburgh in 2005 after student teaching in a Kindergarten classroom at Keene Central School and in a fifth grade classroom at Petrova Elementary School. Each placement proved to be an exceptional experience! My Professional Development Educators and Field Placement Supervisor offered their time, support and knowledge of teaching to help me gain a meaningful learning experience and comfort in the classroom.

After graduating from SUNY Plattsburgh, I became a teaching assistant for students receiving special education services. As a teaching assistant, I gained a real awareness of various literacy practices in the classroom and it really sparked my interest in the field of literacy. At that point I decided that enrolling in a literacy program would be extremely beneficial. I started my M.S.Ed. in Literacy Education during the Spring of 2007. What I have gained from the literacy classes here at SUNY Plattsburgh has been more than I could have ever anticipated. It is a unique program where the classes are small and there is an enormous amount of support from the faculty and fellow candidates.

This past year, there has been an ongoing redesign of the Literacy Education Center in Room 332, Sibley Hall. We have expanded the collection of children's literature and there are various materials for education students to use. Please feel free to stop by the center and browse through our collection or have a conversation with me!

Are You a Current Student with a Story to Share?

If you are currently a candidate in our program and would like to be featured on this page, please contact our Graduate Assistant for Literacy Education at (518) 564-5145.

Contact Information

If you would like more information about literacy education programs at SUNY Plattsburgh, please contact:

Heidi Schnackenberg, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Teacher Education Unit
Program Area Coordinator, M.S.Ed. Graduate Programs
Office Location: Sibley 309
Phone: (518) 564-5143
Fax: (518) 564-2149
Email: Heidi.Schnackenberg@plattsburgh.edu

Jessica Chase

Secretary
Office: Sibley Hall 302
Phone: (518) 564-2125
Email: chaseja@plattsburgh.edu
Fax: (518) 564-2149