Mike Bickerman
Since graduating, Mike taught 6th grade for half a year in Beloit and then went to La Grange, IL where he currently teaches 7th grade. He has coached football from junior high to college levels and junior high basketball. He earned his Masters degree in Educational Administration last summer and is currently "testing the waters: for some administrative job options, either principal or assistant principal." Mike says, "I truly feel that my Beloit education benefits me more than I could have ever imagined. Seeing things through different viewpoints and problem solving skills are so much a part of a Beloit education that it gives graduates a huge advantage over others in school settings. Also, the ability to study and learn has paid off professionally in terms of making myself a better teacher." On a personal note, Mike was married to Mandy (Koch, Beloit class of '99), has a 4 month old son, Tyler and a 2 year old Siberian husky, Buc (short for Buccaneer).
Ryan Culloty
In his four years teaching high school in Madison Heights, MI, Ryan has taught a variety of grades and subjects; 9th, 10th and 11th graders in Econimics, Civics, World Studies, MEAP Prep (Michigan's exit exam) and Psychology of Sports. He received a Masters in Education from Marygrove College in Detroit, MI graduating with a 3.95 GPA. He has coached varsity football and middle school track and is currently the head varsity football coach. The program is growing from 30 players when he took it over to nearly 70 this past year. He says, "We have fund-raised over $15,000 since I took over the program to buy uniforms, equipment and other necessities for the program." He anticipates a fine season in 2005. Ryan is active in a variety of positions at Madison. He is on the NCA Writing Committee, involved in Peer Mediation, Class Sponsor (2004), School Talent Show, founded the Madison High School Weight Club and Conditioning Clubs and has worked with three student teachers since being at Madison. Ryan says that Beloit gave him a great foundation on which to build.
Karen A. Heesen
Karen began teaching English, social studies, Braille and functional math at the Wisconsin School for the Visually Handicapped in fall of 2000. She recently completed her certification as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired through Silver Lake College in Manitowoc, WI while teaching Braille (K-12), coaching forensics, coaching drama and teaching summer school each year (for both adults and K-12 students). Karen says, "There has not been much time to get into trouble, shall we say!" She would really like new education majors to know that, "if they are interested in SPED, there is a huge need for teachers of the visually impaired. Wisconsin has a grant forginveness program which could enable them to get the credits, above their bachelor's, that they would need." She hopes anyone interested will contact her.
Lu May
Lu believes his experience at Beloit College “has cultivated in me a mindset to link learning that occurs in the classroom with students’ life experience in their community.” Lu is currently teaching 8th grade at Hamilton Middle School in Wichita, KS, and says, “I always want my students to know that opportunities for learning are all around them if they only look. Starting our last quarter for the school year, I will begin by showing the movie "Akeelah and the Bee" as a motivator and as a jumping point of discussion about the language of science (the deconstruction of words through understanding their roots and origins) and an ongoing reinforcement of self-development or realization of one's potential." updated 4-30-07