Different Path, Same Purpose
UD senior Kaitlyn Hand plans to give back to the community that supported her through her new teaching career
The traditional college experience is often portrayed as a straight path — four years, one program, one campus — all leading to new adventures away from home. But for University of Delaware senior Kaitlyn Hand, success took a different route. It began in an associate program in her Southern Delaware community, led her to Newark and then brought her back home, where she is already making an immediate impact in students’ lives.
“One of the biggest inspirations for me becoming a teacher was my high school biology teacher, Mrs. Hamory,” said Hand, who will graduate with her bachelor’s degree in elementary and middle school teacher education (EME) through the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). “She was phenomenal — truly one of those educators who made learning feel engaging, meaningful and accessible every single day. After graduation, I hope to begin my career in Delaware, giving back to the community where I have grown as a student teacher and continuing the legacy of strong, supportive educators.”
Hand’s UD experience
As a student at Caesar Rodney High School, Hand started looking for affordable colleges close to home. She landed in UD’s associate program in EME on its Georgetown campus, which offered an affordable path through the state’s SEED (Student Excellence Equals Degree) Scholarship. The scholarship covers the cost of tuition for Delaware residents enrolled in an eligible associate program.
“This scholarship helped make college a reality for me and made pursuing my degree significantly more affordable, allowing me to focus fully on my academics and professional development without the added stress of financial barriers,” Hand said.
Hand also appreciated the program’s smaller class sizes and “more intimate program structure, which allowed for personalized mentorship and stronger connections with professors and peers.” Small class sizes, supportive advising and close relationships with faculty are hallmarks of CEHD’s EME associate programs on both the Wilmington and Georgetown campuses.
“Kaitlyn was an exceptional student in Georgetown’s associate EME program, who has continued to excel,” said Scott Lykens, Southern Delaware program coordinator in CEHD. “Upon her graduation this May, Kaitlyn will join the ranks of the many southern Delaware program graduates who, as teachers, impact the lives and futures of children for many years to come.”
Through the associate program, Hand completed the first two years of the EME bachelor’s program, developing her skills in her very first semester. She completed field experiences at Georgetown Elementary in Indian River School District and her own middle school alma mater, Postlethwait Middle School in Caesar Rodney School District.
She then transitioned to the Newark campus to complete her bachelor’s degree, choosing a specialization in middle school mathematics.
“It felt like a natural and smooth transition from the associate program, especially since all of my credits transferred seamlessly,” Hand noted.
Once in the bachelor’s program, Hand especially enjoyed her methods courses and student teaching placements, where she was able to work with students over a longer period of time and build strong relationships with them.
“One of my favorite memories was during a methods course when we designed and taught our first small-group math lesson,” Hand recalled. “I remember seeing students’ eyes light up as they solved problems independently and explained their reasoning to each other. That moment made me realize the real impact that thoughtful, engaging instruction can have and confirmed my passion for teaching.”
Giving back to her Delaware community
In the last year of her bachelor’s program, Hand has actively supported her community, choosing student teaching placements at both Allen Frear Elementary School and Fred Fifer III Middle School in Camden, Delaware.
This spring, Hand is teaching middle school math alongside Blue Hen John Freebairn, a special education and mathematics teacher at Fifer Middle School. With his mentorship, Hand has also worked to foster inclusive and supportive learning environments for all students.
“As a UD alum, it has been a pleasure hosting Ms. Hand,” said Freebairn, who graduated from UD’s College of Health Sciences. “Being a former student in this district has allowed her and the students to bond and connect in a unique way that has garnered trust in each other. I hope that Ms. Hand is also able to grow her own ‘tool-bag’ by taking many of the values we learned at UD to her future classes and students. I fully expect Ms. Hand to thrive as she fosters her own great problem solvers and thinkers in the near future!”
“Student teaching has been an incredibly rewarding experience,” Hand said. “I have loved building relationships with students, delivering standards-aligned lessons and seeing students grow academically and socially. Collaborating with grade-level teams and interventionists has also strengthened my instructional skills and highlighted the importance of teamwork in education.”
It’s not surprising that Hand has already seen her students grow. Her UD professors note that Hand “shows up every day with commitment and dedication” as she puts the instructional practices that she learned at UD into place.
“Kaitlyn uses ‘checks for understanding’ frequently during her lessons to evaluate student progress towards the learning targets,” said Vicki Goettel, senior instructor in CEHD’s School of Education. “Her expectations are always clearly aligned with the objectives, and she provides opportunities for students to revise their thinking or expand on their prior knowledge.”
Outside of student teaching, Hand has also actively advocated for Delaware educators, speaking with state senators at the Delaware Joint Finance Committee meeting in February 2026 to support funding for aspiring educators and teacher education initiatives. And, she’s done all of this while maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA, making Mrs. Hamory proud.
To learn more UD degrees in education or professional development opportunities, visit UD’s education pathways webpage, CEHD’s overview of graduate programs or CEHD’s School Success Center.
Article by Jessica Henderson. Photos by Kathy F. Atkinson.