History Repeated Itself for Kathleen Morris ’19 Once She Discovered Her Passion
By Damon Markiewicz
As a student at Springfield Central High School, Kathleen Morris ’19 thought she knew exactly what she wanted to study in college. However, her commitment to staying open to new opportunities led her to discover a new passion during her senior year.
“During my final year at Central, I really enjoyed my history class and I wanted to focus on becoming a history teacher when I entered my college career,” explained Morris. It was during my AP History class when I said to myself, ‘I want to teach history.’”
Fast forward 10 years later, and Morris is now continuing her dream and is teaching history at the same high school where she found her passion. It is a full-circle moment that Morris appreciates and relies on to be at her best in leading her classes.
“Something that really impressed me when I was a History Education student at Springfield College was how well the faculty engaged with their students, and built a connection that allowed everyone to feel comfortable participating in the class,” explained Morris. “That is something that has really stuck with me in my career, and I always want to make sure I am creating that same type of environment in my classes.”
Once her day begins in the early morning, Morris works with five different classes on a rotating schedule. Morris loves working with her students and helping them discover the stories that shaped the world. She enjoys seeing their curiosity spark as they connect past events to today’s world and develop their own ideas about history’s lessons. Every discussion reminds her why she became a teacher—to inspire young minds to think critically, ask questions, and appreciate the power of learning.
“My favorite days are when I get to see all of my classes and students,” explained Morris. “When that occurs, the day is action packed, and it goes by so quickly, but it’s a reminder of how much I enjoy teaching history. I truly enjoy teaching in the same high school where I was that same student.”
When applying to colleges, there was a special moment that occurred during her application process that made Springfield College stand out from other schools. It was a personal touch that Morris didn’t see happening with other colleges.
“For me, what really made a strong impression on me was when History professor Tom Carty reached out and invited me to sit in on one of his classes after I was accepted to the College,” explained Morris. “Having that option to see what the Springfield College classroom setting looked like, really helped me feel comfortable that I was making the best decision. It was a perfect example of what makes Springfield College special.”
Another standout feature for Morris was how quickly she was able to gain real classroom experience as a college student. The opportunity to take what she was learning from her Education and History faculty and immediately apply it by leading her own lesson plans in local schools gave her a significant advantage in preparing for her career.
“When you are preparing for a career in teaching, you want to get that real-word experience right away,” said Morris. “The courses I took in the Education Department helped me reaffirm that this was the profession I wanted. As a program, we all had the same goal of becoming the best possible teachers. We got to cheer each other on for every little success we had. All of the faculty were awesome in the sense that, if you ever needed help with anything, they were always there to make sure students were successful.”
While Morris was enjoying life on Alden Street, she used her well-rounded college experience to also explore another passion, her enjoyment for journalistic writing. In fact, striving to be a journalist was what Morris originally thought she would set out to do before finding her love for teaching.
“I originally thought I would go to college to become a journalist,” explained Morris. “During my time at the College, I was a member of the Springfield Student school newspaper. I really enjoyed being able to contribute to the school community through my writing. It was fun to go to campus events and report back on what was going on. I spoke with students I might not have met otherwise to share their stories and experiences.”
The moments Morris experienced have helped shape her into a professional who values both appreciation and balance in her career. At the Class of 2019 undergraduate commencement ceremony, she had the honor of serving as the student speaker, representing her classmates on stage before more than 5,000 family members and friends. Her speech carried a tone of excitement and gratitude.
“Even when it came to graduate and solidify my first job after college, the faculty, staff, and my fellow students were always so supportive,” concluded Morris. “Whether it was writing me a recommendation, or just offering guidance, I truly believe I am the teacher and person I am today because of my Springfield College experience.”
