Hello! My name is Alex Mitchum and I am enrolled in the University of New England’s Elementary/Middle Education program with a minor in Special Education. I have lived and worked in Maine for 5 years, but I grew up in California before moving to New Hampshire during my senior year of high school. In my free time, I love to travel, cook, and hike all of the 48 4,000 foot peaks of New Hampshire.
“Students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
John C. Maxwell
My education journey has been a rocky path. After moving across the country during my senior year of high school, I tried many different colleges and learning programs. I have always had a passion for working with children. I have seen and felt the impact that great teachers have had on the lives of others and in my own life. However, I struggled in high school and did not believe that I could become an effective teacher. Instead, I took a job at Pratt & Whitney making parts for aerospace engines in hopes to become fulfilled with machining. While I enjoyed parts of the job, the pandemic helped me realize that I could never find fulfillment in machining and needed to finish my education.
Working full-time and taking a full course load has proved to be a challenge. However, with that new challenge, I found that education was truly my passion and gained a new resolve to do the best that I could. Finishing my Associate’s degree on the president’s list and continuing to make the dean’s list at UNE has proved that I had what it takes to pursue my dream of being a teacher. Through this, I realized what I could offer my future students, a love of learning.
