Rollins

At Rollins, future educators find a pathway to a purposeful career. Whether you focus on elementary or secondary education, you’ll learn research-proven strategies to engage your students and hone those new skills through immersive fieldwork in local classrooms. Along the way, you’ll be supported by seasoned educators and faculty—mentors who prioritize your professional growth and model the skills you’ll need to make an impact.

With an array of research and study-abroad opportunities, you’ll gain meaningful experience, and Rollins’ long-standing relationships with local school districts will give you a head-start on your career. When you complete Rollins’ state-approved program, you’ll be eligible for Professional Teacher Certification in Florida, giving you the ability to jump right into your career or pursue an advanced degree.


Why Study Education at Rollins

  1. Accessible Faculty

    At Rollins, you’ll learn from professors who are personally invested in your progress. In fact, you’ll meet with them regularly on-site at the local schools where you conduct fieldwork.

  2. Career Connections

    Rollins’ connections with local schools offer a direct path to employment. In recent years, 100 percent of education grads who have chosen to teach have secured jobs in the field.

  3. Global Context

    With study-abroad programs spanning four continents, you’ll gain new perspectives on education and build your ability to instruct and innovate within diverse classrooms.

Interested in Studying Education at Rollins?

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Sade Sims

“The experience I had at Rollins, and specifically the education department, was invaluable. From my first class in the program, I knew I had found my family. I now have a solid support system of colleagues and mentors. Having this support has made the transition to teaching so much easier.”

Sade Sims ’16

Third-Grade Teacher, John Young Elementary School


Rollins Education Careers

Rollins education grads are inspiring tomorrow’s brightest minds at schools in our backyard and around the country.

  • Self portrait of Christina Manahan.

    Christina Manahan ’17

    Mathematics Teacher, Milwee Middle School
  • Caroline S. Teague

    Caroline S. Teague ’15MAT

    Second-Grade Teacher, Dommerich Elementary School
  • Brie Penaherrera

    Brie Penaherrera ’16

    Course Instructor, Exploring the Chemical Engineering Workplace
  • Megan Matthews

    Megan Matthews ’15

    Kindergarten Teacher, Lakeville Elementary
  • Mike Reese

    Mike Reese ’03 ’10MAT

    Instructional Coach, Baldwin Park Elementary
  • Mark Shanoff

    Mark Shanoff ’98

    Superintendent, Osceola County School District

Real World Experience

Rollins’ deep connections to local schools allow education majors to hone their skills through hands-on field experiences.

  • Orange County Public Schools
  • Seminole County Public Schools
  • Independence Elementary
  • Dommerich Elementary
  • Audubon Park Elementary
  • Milwee Middle School
Professor and students in a class discussion at a Rollins outdoor classroom

See for Yourself

Get a feel for Rollins’ unique brand of engaged learning and personalized attention through one of our virtual or in-person visit experiences.

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Beyond the Classroom

International Fieldwork Rollins education professors lead field studies to destinations like Rwanda, South Korea, and Krakow, focusing on topics like education in rural schools, instructional strategies in urban schools, and teaching about the Holocaust.

Undergraduate and Graduate Research Faculty and students frequently collaborate on school-based research. Recent settings include a local first-grade classroom and Rollins’ Hume House Child Development & Student Research Center, a laboratory preschool that serves children of all abilities and creates opportunities for research and learning with undergraduates.

Kappa Delta Pi This honorary society offers opportunities for professional development, service learning, and leadership. Membership is limited to the top 20 percent of those entering the field of education.


Two student teachers lead a spelling exercise in a Rwandan classroom.
A Rollins student teaches a group of elementary students.

Dive Into Education at Rollins

To fulfill its mission, the Department of Education educates students with a deep liberal arts foundation and a strong foundation in understanding student learning, schooling issues, and forms of pedagogy for teaching in diverse classrooms.

What You Will Learn

Expert Faculty

Every Rollins education professor holds a terminal degree in the field. These experts are true partners in your educational journey, leading international trips, collaborating on research, and offering personal advising.

Department of Education

Cornell Hall for the Social Sciences
1000 Holt Ave. – 2726
Winter Park, FL 32789

Telephone: 407.646.2242

  • Wendy Brandon

    Wendy Brandon, EdD

    Associate Professor of Education

    Research interests: Role of race, class, and gender in school success within local, national, and global contexts

  • Angela Griner

    Angela Griner, EdD

    Visiting Professor of Education and Director of Pathways to Teaching Program

  • J. Scott Hewit

    J. Scott Hewit, EdD

    Associate Professor of Education, Emeritus

    Research interests: Innovative instructional strategies in Rwanda, emerging technology in developing nations, and educational policy around the globe

  • Jenn Manak

    Jenn Manak, PhD

    Associate Professor of Education and Reading/ESOL Coordinator

    Research interests: The interconnected nature of reading and writing instruction, the impact of culturally responsive and inclusive pedagogies on diverse students' literacy learning

  • H. James McLaughlin

    H. James McLaughlin, PhD

    Professor and Richard James Mertz Chair of Education

    Research interests: Education in Anne Frank schools; Holocaust and genocide education; meaningful international experiences for college students

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  • Jason Surian

    Jason Surian

    Assistant Professor

    Research interests: student identities in curricula materials, the influence of teacher behaviors and instructional approaches in developing peer acceptance and appreciation of student identities, and students' sense of belonging in the school community.

  • Debra Wellman

    Debra Wellman, PhD

    Professor of Education, Emerita

    Research interests: The impact of field experiences on preservice teachers, book clubs as a model of discussion-based learning, and content area instruction

  • Jie Yu

    Jie Yu, PhD

    Associate Professor of Education

    Research interests: Curriculum studies, narrative inquiry, phenomenology, and multicultural education