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Eliminating Barriers – Megan Diehl

Megan Diehl, ’10, M.Ed., ’13, is an educator to her core. And she chose to attend Meredith not once but twice. As an undergraduate student, she majored in Spanish and became licensed as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher. She returned to Meredith to pursue her M.Ed. with a concentration in ESL.

Megan came to Meredith intending to prepare for veterinary school, but soon discovered her true passion lay in her desire to help others learn. Megan’s bicultural and bilingual heritage gave her personal insight into the challenges, and opportunities, that her multicultural students faced.

As an undergraduate student, Megan developed an ESL program for Meredith employees whose first language wasn’t English. Her strong foundational knowledge of teaching led her to receive high praise from her mentor teachers, even early in her career.

Within her first year of teaching, Megan wrote a grant for an afterschool program. And while her family raised her to see herself as a leader, she says Meredith raised her expectations even higher. Her professors encouraged her to look for professional development opportunities such as presenting at conferences and conducting research – and, ultimately, pursuing a graduate degree in education.

Her professors all encouraged her to face challenges head-on. So when she found herself feeling disconnected from the other teachers who worked in a more typical classroom setting, Megan developed a presentation called “All Things ESL.” This direct approach helped her connect with the larger school community and eliminated any possible barriers.

Megan takes pride and satisfaction each day knowing that she has made a difference in the lives of the children she teaches. Going strong, it seems, is contagious.