Kent State has a proud tradition of cultivating outstanding educators. Founded in 1910 as Kent State Normal School, the institution was dedicated to training teachers in one building, Merrill Hall, which housed the library, administrative offices and classroom. On July 29, 1914, 34 individuals graduated with two-year diplomas qualifying them to teach.
Through the extraordinary vision and leadership of Kent State’s first president, John Edward McGilvrey, the school grew quickly and gained a strong reputation. The education program has evolved over the decades, and today Kent State’s College of Education Education is producing world-class teachers, principals, superintendents and many other key educators who are shaping the minds of future generations.
We caught up with some of these inspirational leaders who are doing so much more than simply teaching through their work. They are empowering students and transforming lives.
Rachel Johnson, ’09
Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Akron Public Schools
Just as Kent State University is rooted in education, Rachel Johnson, ’09, was inspired to become a teacher by her mother and grandma who both worked in education. She even discovered her niche in teaching at a young age.
“At church growing up there was a boy with hearing loss and the mom taught us how to sign songs,” Johnson said. “I fell in love with the language.”
As an itinerant teacher of deaf and hard of hearing for Akron Public Schools for grades K-12, Johnson travels to 11 different schools in the district, providing intervention specialist services. “I work with students for 30 or 60 minutes a week, and I have specific goals for each student. It’s very personalized. For some students, it is self advocacy like communication repair, and for some students, it is phonics,” Johnson said.
She gets the best of both worlds as an educator for K-12 students. Her younger students are effusive and affectionate, giving her hugs and pictures they’ve drawn when they see her. “I can get hugs from little kids. Her high school students share real concerns with her during deeper conversations.
Johnson goes beyond teaching in the classroom by educating teams at the schools about hearing loss and how it impacts learning. She also helps intervention specialists earn their deaf and hard-of-hearing licensure to address the teacher shortage in that particular area.
This was one of the reasons why she is so deserving of being named the State Board of Education's Teacher of the Year for District 10, which includes Summit County and portions of Cuyahoga and Geauga counties. Johnson is one of 11 teachers recognized across the state, and four of the honorees will be selected as finalists for the 2027 Ohio Teacher of the Year.
“I didn’t know I was being nominated,” Johnson said. “I got the email, and I thought it was spam. I am surrounded by great educators. I see teachers doing amazing things, and it’s hard to imagine I should be counted among them. And then to be nominated, I was floored.”
Johnson feels fortunate she was a part of Kent State’s special education deaf education licensure program. “With practicum placements, I was very lucky that they had relationships with programs so I could get hands-on experience with my unique population,” Johnson said. “They even made sure I spent time at a deaf residential school, St. Rita School for Deaf, so I can see that version of what’s available to my students.”
One Kent State experience she will never forget is traveling to Gallaudet University, a college for the deaf in Washington, D.C., during her senior year to co-present with one of her professors, Karen Kritzer, Ph.D., on a class project.
Johnson was a proud recipient of the Kent State Founders Scholarship and The William B. & Marion C. Risman Medallion Scholarships. Thanks to help from these scholarships to fund her tuition, she was able to pursue her passion and join Kent State’s club equestrian team. Riding horses was something she wanted to do her whole life.
“I knew nobody when I first came to Kent State, and then I saw a flyer for the equestrian team,” Johnson said. “My team was great, and they were the ones who taught me to ride. We traveled to different universities for competitions and had many late nights. One of my teammates was even in my wedding, and they became my people.”
Johnson still maintains ties with her alma mater and could not be happier to come back to campus this fall as a guest speaker for one of Kritzer’s senior level classes. She also has current Kent State students complete practicums with her in Akron Public Schools.
One piece of advice she has for students going into education is to “keep yourself focused on the kids and wanting to see kids grow and better themselves. If you go into it because you love kids and don’t lose sight of that, you will be ok.”
Dante Capers, ’03, M.Ed. ’06
Associate Superintendent of Student Services, Student Wellness & Success, Warren City Schools
Dante Capers is no stranger to Warren G. Harding High School, where he first roamed the halls as a student. Today, he has served as a transformative leader at the school and in the Warren City School District for the past 20 years.
Going into his sixth year as Associate Superintendent of Student Services, Student Wellness & Success, Capers has implemented many successful programs to enhance student health and development.
Some of these initiatives include establishing a partnership with Akron Children’s Hospital to open a school-based health clinic in each building for Warren City Schools, ensuring student access to community social workers, promoting fitness at the new student recreation and wellness center, and educating staff on how to respond to student wellness and mental health needs.
Prior to his district leadership role, he spent 14 years as an administrator at Warren G. Harding High School, nine as principal and five as assistant principal.
“I always knew I wanted to impact young people and help them understand their place in the world,” Capers said. “Education seemed like a natural path to do that.”
Capers, who received a scholarship during his time at Kent State, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education in integrated social studies and was awarded a Master of Education in educational leadership K-12 in 2006.
He began his academic journey at Kent State Trumbull where he thrived.
“That was my first step into Kent State, and I had an amazing experience there,” Capers said. “I am an advocate for Kent’s regional campuses. They provide a great opportunity for our high school students taking college coursework, to those who have earned a number of bachelor’s degrees.”
Attending the Trumbull Campus was the perfect stepping stone. Capers transferred to the Kent Campus for his sophomore year and continued to do well.
His student teaching experience was invaluable.
“Kent State had great relationships with Akron Public Schools,” Capers said. “I spent a year at Buchtel High School in Akron completing a practicum and student teaching. That experience locked me into education and truly prepared me for the profession.”
While many professors helped shape his education journey, Alicia Crowe, Ph.D., left a lasting impression on Capers.
“Aside from her intelligence, she was excellent at building community, held high expectations and was creative in the classroom,” Capers said. “She really helped to push us to another level and prepare us for the classroom.”
Outside of his time in the classroom, Capers remembers rooting for the Golden Flashes men’s basketball team. “I really enjoyed watching the NCAA tournament run in the early 2000s. That was really fun and memorable.”
When Capers is not creating happier, healthier environments for students in Warren City Schools, he gives back to his community and Kent State. He was the 2022 Kent State Trumbull Campus Commencement speaker, serves on the Kent Trumbull advisory board and several non-profit boards in Warren and volunteers at his church.
Justine DeFrancesco, ’16, M.Ed., ’19
First and Second Grade Teacher, Berlin Cosmopolitan School (Berlin, Germany)
Justine DeFrancesco came to Kent State undecided about the future. However, a few transformative experiences led her to a rewarding career overseas teaching 1st and 2nd graders in Germany at Berlin Cosmopolitan School.
DeFrancesco landed on communications as her major freshman year but soon discovered her love for kids working at Kent State University’s Child Development Center (CDC).
"I was loving the writing part of communications, but I didn't love who I was communicating with,” DeFrancesco said. “Then I got into the Child Development Center and realized my voice is better heard by humans under the age of six.”
During her time at Kent State, DeFrancesco received the James A. and Dorothy Rinier Scholarship. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and a Master of Education in early childhood education with a concentration in globalization and intercultural competence.
Studying aboard in Auckland, New Zealand, at Milford School during her senior year was the ultimate career catalyst.
“I was able to present at the Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Education Conference with Dr. Lash and Kathleen O’Dell,” she said. “That was invigorating and really why I moved abroad afterward.”
DeFrancesco cherishes the memories she made not only inside the classroom studying abroad but lessons learned along the vibrant streets in the city.
“I went on a two-week bus tour throughout the North and South Islands. I was there with people from everywhere, all different ages, all different countries represented. And we were able to coexist and share these brand new experiences like bungee jumping or, for some people, getting tattoos and getting to know the Maori culture and going to cultural events and pig roasts.”
She is also grateful for her time at Kent State and could not say enough about the professors from her undergraduate and graduate years.
“Kent State gave me actual preparedness for working and teaching in the real world. And the professors don't only see you as students. They see you as mentees. They see you as even friends,” DeFrancesco said. “My master’s program and working as a graduate assistant in the College of EHHS inspired me to always do more. My mentor, Dr. Lash consistently pushed me to strive for more. In my undergraduate, my professor, Jan Wolf, always said, ‘Once I've learned everything there is to know about teaching, I can become a barista.’ And she's like, ‘I'm not a barista yet.’ That stuck with me, and I think that's part of Kent State's magic - you're never done learning, and that's okay.”
After graduating, she launched her professional career teaching in Germany in 2019. As an elementary educator, she worked with a team to design the IB curriculum for the students. While teaching in Germany was a rewarding and amazing experience, she was ready for a career change and to move back to the states after having her daughter. She recently accepted a position as a Primary Years Program Coordinator and Instructional Coach at an IB World School in Longmont, CO.
“Coordinating is something that I got really into in the last two years. Planning the entire grade two curriculum alongside my co-teachers was something I was very nerdy about, and I'm so excited to do that as my sole role,” she said.
When she is not inspiring young minds, DeFrancesco keeps busy as a publisher of children's books that focus on socio-emotional learning, mindfulness and well-being. She recently published two books, “I Feel Like Old Spaghetti” and “How to Let it Go.”
Kate Ross, ’04
Math Teacher and Mathematics Department Chair, Olentangy Berlin High School
Kate Ross, ’04, is more than an extraordinary educator who teaches calculus, geometry or algebra. Over the past 22 years, she has inspired over 2500 students both inside and outside of the classroom. Also, as the mathematics department chair, Ross leads a team of 16 teachers, facilitating collaboration among the members of the department, supporting and encouraging best teaching practices, and problem solving when an issue arises in any of the math classrooms.
“When I think about all those kids and where they are now, it’s really rewarding to think that I was a small part of their journey,” Ross said. “Getting to know so many great kids every single year, and seeing them gain confidence in their own abilities is one of the parts of my job I enjoy most.”
In 2019, Ross was honored to be named the district’s Teacher of the Year during the first year Olentangy Berlin High School opened and was truly deserving of the award. “We really worked hard to establish our building culture and establish what we wanted the kids’ experiences in the math department to be like,” Ross said.
An Olentangy Berlin High School teacher who nominated Ross for Teacher of the Year applauds Kate’s teaching style for making a difficult subject fun. “Mrs. Ross teaches a difficult subject in a way that is very easy to understand. She models excellent behavior on how to tackle Geometry, yet varies her lessons enough to engage learners. Students get to work together in partnerships and groups, access the room through scavenger hunts, and are encouraged to learn at their own pace.”
Picking education as her major at Kent State was an easy choice for Ross. Growing up, she loved school and was surrounded by teachers who she admired. She never imagined a future doing anything else but teaching and it only took one visit to campus to discover Kent State was home.
“I’m so grateful for my time as a Golden Flash, and for the incredibly rewarding career that my degree led me into,” Ross said. “I felt fully ready to manage my own classroom after graduating.”
Ross could not say enough about Judith Melillo, Ph.D., and other professors in the College of Education.
“She gave me so many great ideas about how to get high school students excited about mathematics,” Ross said “The professors in the College of Education really designed excellent projects for me during my field experiences and student teaching experience.”
Some of her most cherished memories at Kent State came from playing softball. “Being a part of the athletic community was incredible and my teammates were my best friends,” Ross said. “We worked hard together and had so many rewarding experiences. Also, the academic support from advisors and all around support from coaches and teammates gave me a family when I was away from home.”
Ross also received the Lou Holtz Endowed Scholarship, which is awarded to a student-athlete in good standing who is pursuing a degree at the university.
She remains part of the Kent State community and was honored to serve as the 2022 Homecoming Parade Grand Marshal alongside fellow female student athletics to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX. “It was a blast to ride on the float and celebrate homecoming with my former teammates.”
Haley Mueller, ’12
Principal, Independence Middle School
For the start of her career, Haley Mueller, ’12, was exactly where she wanted to be–in the classroom teaching social studies and impacting students’ lives. Though leadership was never on her radar, she expanded her roles as an instructional coach, school administrator and now principal at Independence Middle School.
“Education was always something I was drawn to. I enjoyed working with others, helping people learn and building relationships,“ Mueller said. “What I did not necessarily know at the time was where that path would eventually take me. I entered the profession wanting to be a great classroom teacher, and over time, I discovered a passion for instructional leadership, supporting teachers and helping create strong school communities.”
A dedicated and supportive principal, she serves as an inspiring role model for students and staff.
“I work to create a positive school culture, support strong teaching and learning, collaborate with teachers and families, oversee student support and school operations, and continually look for ways to make our school experience better for students,” Mueller said.
People and building relationships has always driven her philosophy. “Programs, curriculum and initiatives matter, but relationships are what make schools work,” Mueller said. “The best schools are places where students and adults feel supported, challenged and connected.”
That belief traces back to the foundation she built at Kent State where she received her Bachelor of Science in education, specializing in social studies for grades 7-12.
“I am grateful that my journey began at Kent State,” Mueller said. “The university helped prepare me for my first classroom, and the experiences and relationships I built there continue to influence the educator and leader I am today.”
Mueller spoke about Kent State’s education professors who helped connect theory with the realities of working in a classroom. Todd Hawley, Ph.D., one of her teaching professors, was particularly influential.
“The professors provided strong guidance and helped bridge the gap between learning about education and actually being prepared to enter a classroom. I felt like they genuinely cared about our success and about preparing us for the realities of teaching,” Mueller said.
Kent State not only provided her an exceptional academic foundation but she also embraced the college experience and made the most out of her time there.
“Whether I was studying in the library, attending games, spending time with friends or even using campus transportation to get around, I really enjoyed being on campus,” Mueller said. “Those experiences helped make Kent feel less like just a place I attended school and more like a community and a home.”
These amazing educators are part of Kent State’s strong education legacy of inspiring students that began in 1910. They carry the legacy forward by educating and shaping a brighter future for the next generation. While they all have different roles, one thing remains constant: Students are their No. 1 priority.
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