WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., December 7, 2023 – Four West Liberty University English Education students attended the Annual Convention of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) in Columbus, OH from November 16-19. The students were accompanied by Dr. Steve Criniti, professor of English.
The NCTE Annual Convention is the leading professional development event for teachers of English at all levels. Now in its 112th year, the NCTE Annual Convention brings together top educators from around the country to present on a variety of topics and issues facing English educators in the classroom today.
“It is impossible to leave an NCTE Annual Convention without feeling inspired,” Criniti said. “Being around this many passionate English educators always lights a fire under participants to consider new and creative approaches to teaching, and I’m so excited that we were able to provide our English Education students an opportunity to experience the Convention to jumpstart their own budding teaching careers.”
The four attending English Education students were Brittany Batton, a senior from New Martinsville, W.Va.; Autumn Duckworth, a senior from Weirton, W.Va.; Willow Elliott, a freshman from Lizemores, W.Va.; and Alaina Thompson, a senior from Jacksonburg, W.Va.
“NCTE was an invigorating experience that truly helped me feel solidified in my career path choice,” Duckworth said. “To be surrounded by hundreds of people who have the same passions and aspirations as you is one of the best feelings. I went on the trip with some hopes of hearing [Convention keynote speaker] Tom Hanks, but I left with a reignited love for English education, a notebook full of good ideas, and a greater sense of community.”
The trip was made possible by the West Liberty University Foundation through the Raymond G. Hughes Memorial Fund. The Foundation’s mission is to raise, invest, and steward private funds to strengthen West Liberty University and to increase opportunities for students of all backgrounds to pursue higher learning. For more information, please visit wlufoundation.org or call 304.336.5635.
West Liberty University is West Virginia’s oldest public university, and it offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and 12 graduate programs, both online and on campus. Learn more at westliberty.edu.
