Dr. Mark Hogue

1. What is your educational background and where have you worked previously?

I am humbled to join the College of Education at SRU.  SRU is my home!  I earned my undergraduate degree and a master’s degree in math and science education from the Rock. 

The first-class faculty at SRU set me on a path for success in both my professional pursuits and preparation for competitive graduate studies.  After my education at SRU, I earned a second master’s degree in educational administration from California University of Pennsylvania; doctor of philosophy in curriculum and instruction, focusing in mathematics education from Kent State University; and superintendent’s letter of eligibility from Westminster College. 

I worked as a high school mathematics teacher in two local school districts – Grove City & West Middlesex - for a period of 10 years.  I was fortunate to teach a host of mathematics courses including Algebra II, Statistics, and Calculus.  I also enjoyed working as an adjunct faculty member in the University of Pittsburgh’s College in High School program.

Following a decade of experience in the classroom, I served as a high school principal in the Greenville Area School District for five years.  Most notably, Greenville High School was named as only one (1) of 50 high schools in the United States as a 2017 National Blue Ribbon School.  This achievement is a testimony that public schools can function at very high levels with the collective buy-in of students, teachers, and school leadership.

2. What attracted you to Slippery Rock University, and in particular, the education department?
I sincerely enjoyed working in public schools, and one of the hardest decisions that I have had to make was leaving the last school where I worked as a high school principal. 

At some point in my career, I always hoped to return home to SRU.  Working in higher education has always been an interest of mine and was a big factor behind making the commitment to take on a Ph.D.  Perhaps the most humbling aspect about working at SRU in Secondary Education Foundations of Education Department is being aware of the legacy of the faculty who have come before me, as well as the faculty who I now call my peers.  I have very big shoes to fill!

Also, it was important to me to not only accomplish the professional expectations associated with a faculty position, but also to achieve the experiences that would prepare me to be impactful in educator preparation programs.  I hope that my graduate education coupled with my experience as a high school mathematics teacher and high school principal will ultimately position my undergraduate and graduate students to be extremely successful and empowered teachers. 

3. What has been your most rewarding experience as a teacher/professor? If you cannot narrow it to one, describe one rewarding experience.
As it relates to teacher preparation, my most rewarding experience is having the privilege to hire one of my former algebra II and calculus students as a mathematics teacher.  I am proud that after a change in career trajectory, he selected SRU’s math and science master’s program to complete his teacher training.  It was a powerful experience to witness my former student perform so strongly from “the other side of the desk.”  In keeping with my own experience, it was clear to me that SRU provided a very strong teacher preparation experience that equipped him to perform favorably even amidst a slate of other math teachers who had previous teaching experience.


4. What advice would you give to students who are entering or are currently in the teacher preparation program, and to SRU students in general?
Working in the field of education is a tremendous privilege.  No one is going to put a teaching position on a platter for you, but there is arguably no better time to enter the teaching profession.  Projections are clear –there are many, many full-time teaching positions in PA that will be open in the very near future.   
While degree audits can minimize the successful traversal of undergraduate programs to a plethora of “checked boxes” …coursework, clearances, and certification tests, truly successful candidates in the College of Education (or from any major for that matter) need to set themselves apart.  These separating factors will look different from student to student –adding an additional certification, working with students beyond the school day (performing arts, sports, extracurricular activities, tutoring), continuing graduate studies, etc.

Teaching careers demand an investment beyond the dismissal bell.  Administrators are not looking to hire an eight-hour employee who walks in and out with the students.  Schools are the hub of the community and it is common, between the school day and events, for high schools in particular to be open daily from 6:30 AM to 10:30 PM and schools need teachers who are willing to step up and get involved.  Teacher candidates who embrace this notion through their investment of time, talents, and abilities will most certainly set themselves apart. 

To this point, one very simple life lesson that sticks with me was shared by the principal who hired me for my permanent math teaching position years ago.  He said that the interview process revealed several highly qualified candidates.  The principal communicated to me that one of his personal friends from the district where I previously worked as a full-time temp shared with him that he had never seen anyone spend as much time before or after school working with students as I did, not to mention the fact that I was just a temporary employee.  This was a commitment of my time that never landed a spot on my resume or came up during my job interview, but this seemingly “below the radar” investment positioned me to enjoy a tremendous teaching position that might have otherwise gone to someone else. 

5. What were you like as a college student?
First of all, I enjoyed the rich tradition of awesome professors at SRU.  As an undergraduate, I was fortunate to have Dr. Judy Werner take me under her wing.  With her encouragement, I was fortunate to receive a considerable academic scholarship through the National Science Foundation (NSF).  Looking back on it, while particularly stressful at the time, the challenging GPA requirements for the NSF scholarship renewal kept me on the straight and narrow. 

More generally, my high school focus of sports, socializing, and jobs with a secondary focus of keeping decent grades really needed to be reenvisioned to maintain a level of achievement that would galvanize my success into the future.  I quickly realized that if I wanted to teach in PA, I needed to buckle down and work hard.  In the end, the fruits of hard work never disappoint.  My studies at SRU were challenging and made me grow up pretty fast, but I always felt supported and encouraged – both from professors and my family.