Trailblazing Teachers: The First of Many

To be a teacher is to juggle many different jobs: to remain curious while fostering curiosity, to ask questions and answer those of others, and to be a lifelong learner while developing learners for life.

Teachers walk a balancing act with the weight of the future on their shoulders, charged with shaping the students who will someday shape the world. It’s their calling to make a difference – and the first-ever Jackrabbit graduates of the elementary education program will do just that. 

Years ago, South Dakota State offered only an early childhood education bachelor’s degree for future teachers, specializing in children spanning from birth to age 8. To bridge the gap for ages not covered, SDSU participated in a co-op program with Dakota State University. The partnership relied on online coursework to meld both institutions’ programs, often leading to greater time required for students to earn their degrees.

That all changed in May 2023, when the Board of Regents approved SDSU to establish majors in elementary education and special education. Through the generosity of donors, students immediately pivoted to the new offerings and jumped at the chance to build skills and competencies for a wider age bracket.

Though the change took effect only a few years ago, the College of Education and Human Sciences is already noticing significant enrollment growth and enthusiasm for the programs. In May 2025, the school saw its first cohort earn degrees in elementary education, making history for the university. Diplomas in hand, the group of 11 graduates took their place in the workforce, expanding the Jackrabbit margin of excellence in classrooms around the state, the region, and beyond.

One of the inaugural cohort, Nicole McCabe ’25 particularly valued the small class sizes that allowed her to forge connections with her fellow future educators. Now a teacher in Mankato, Minnesota, Nicole reflected,

“Our professors and the other education staff want to see each of us strive to be the best educators possible. I cannot wait to use what I have learned from State and apply it to my own classroom.”

Nicole is not only among the first class but simply the first of many teachers to come, blazing a trail for generations of Jackrabbits to follow in their calling to make a difference.