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Story from Pigeon605

Even early in her career, high school chemistry teacher Lindsay Kokenge has learned there are multiple formulas for success as an educator.

The Sioux Falls native graduated from O’Gorman High School in 2020 and enrolled at South Dakota State University planning to become nurse.

“I had toyed with the idea of moving away from home for a while but ultimately landed on SDSU for its proximity to home, the lower in-state tuition costs, as well as its strong nursing program,” she said.

“I did well in the pre-nursing program and had direct admission from my grades and ACT score, but as the deadline for the true nursing program approached, I grew increasingly anxious of starting that next phase of my life.”

After self-reflection and guidance from mentors, she realized she was being called to pursue a degree in education.

“I had realized that I would rather spend my whole life doing something that I enjoy while living comfortably rather than a career that I dread just because the pay is a bit better,” she said.

Her perspective is shared by other students at SDSU, where a growing teacher education program — including a newly designed elementary education degree — is preparing future educators through early hands-on classroom experiences and a curriculum built to meet today’s varied student needs.

Learning by doing from day one

Kokenge’s path into teaching began not in a traditional education course, but in a tutoring role she took on while still pursuing nursing.

The only position available was as a supplemental instructor for Chemistry 106. She took it — and quickly discovered a passion for teaching.

“This job entailed planning lessons for two hourlong sessions each week,” she said. “I developed an immense interest in how to teach — what methods I could use and what questions I could ask to most effectively improve understanding in the time students were giving me.”

Within a semester, she changed her major to biology education.

Her experience reflects a broader emphasis at SDSU: getting future teachers into real classroom environments early and often.

“We try to infuse across the programs a ramped-up field experience model,” said Patrick Hales, assistant director of teacher education. “Students get a little more each semester so they can keep trying out, ‘Is this right for me?’”

Those early experiences can begin as soon as freshman year and grow into more immersive opportunities — from tutoring and substitute teaching to practicum placements and full-time student teaching.

“You don’t wait until your junior year to find out if you like being in a classroom,” Hales said. “By the time our students graduate, there’s no question what a school day is like.”

That progression was key for Kokenge, who credits SDSU with preparing her to step confidently into her role — even through a nontraditional route.

Instead of completing a traditional full-time student-teaching semester, she pursued an advanced student-teaching permit, allowing her to teach while finishing her degree.

“As a first-year teacher, I was planning lessons and teaching three different classes while still completing my coursework,” she said. “Every paper, every assignment — it all started to make sense.”

She ultimately was hired by O’Gorman High School, where her former teachers are now colleagues.

“My co-workers once taught me about ‘The Scarlet Letter’ and trigonometry, and now they teach me how to manage a classroom,” she said. “Coming back to a community I loved as a student has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.”

New approach to elementary education

While Kokenge focused on high school science education, students like Brea Rip are helping shape the future of elementary classrooms through SDSU’s newer elementary education degree.

Rip, who grew up in Washington state, chose SDSU after visiting family in the Midwest and touring campus.

“It felt small even though it had all the opportunities of a big state university,” she said. “I really liked the Brookings community.”

Originally part of a cooperative program, Rip transitioned into SDSU’s stand-alone elementary education degree when it launched in fall 2023 — a program designed from the ground up using current research and best practices.

“When we were approved in 2023, we projected about 93 students,” said Anne Karabon, the Wendell and Marlys Thompson Director of the School of Education, Counseling and Human Development. “Now, we’re in the 200s. We’ve exceeded even our most optimistic projections.”

The program also was redesigned to be completed in four years, making it more accessible and efficient for students.

Beyond growth, its structure reflects intentional design. All elementary education students complete coursework in special education and English as a second language — areas increasingly essential in today’s classrooms.

“We built those pillars into the program so our graduates are prepared to work with all children and youth,” Karabon said.

For Rip, the program’s structure — especially its steady increase in field experience — has been one of its biggest strengths.

“Right away, spring of freshman year, I was in a classroom,” she said. “Every semester, you’re getting more experience. It gradually builds until you’re student teaching every day.”

Now completing her student teaching in a fourth-grade classroom, she appreciates the opportunity to focus on content as well as classroom management.

“I love being able to go more in depth and teach content,” she said. “It’s not just routines — it’s helping students really understand what they’re learning.”

Equally important has been the sense of community within the program, she said.

“Our cohort is very close,” Rip said. “We’ve had a lot of classes together, and we stay connected outside of class too. It’s nice to have that support and share experiences.”

Meeting a growing need

SDSU’s teacher education program has grown significantly in recent years, now serving about 700 students across undergraduate and graduate programs — a roughly 20% increase.

That growth comes at a time when many institutions nationwide are seeing flat or declining interest in education careers.

“Part of what’s driving it is that we’re a complete teacher education program,” Hales said. “Students don’t have to compromise. They can pursue what they want and still become a teacher.”

Word of mouth also plays a role as graduates succeed in classrooms across South Dakota and beyond.

“We have teachers out in communities doing great work, winning awards and telling others they had a great experience at SDSU,” he said.

Demand for those graduates remains high. School districts regularly connect with the university, and more than 90% of graduates secure positions. An annual April career fair now is offered even to sophomores because by spring of senior year many students already have jobs.

“We’re incredibly successful in placing students,” Karabon said.

Certain areas are especially in need.

“Science and special education are the two we hear about the most,” Hales said. “Every district is asking for them.”

Kokenge found that out firsthand.

“When I switched majors, I did not really understand the desperate need for more science teachers in the nation,” she said.

To help meet those needs, SDSU continues to expand opportunities — from dual-credit pathways that allow high school students to begin education coursework early to graduate-level options for those entering teaching from other careers.

The university also is exploring how emerging tools such as artificial intelligence fit into the future of education.

“We’re not being reactionary,” Hales said. “We’re asking, ‘What is the role of the teacher in a world where this exists?’ and helping our students think through that.”

For students like Kokenge and Rip, that forward-thinking approach is paired with something more personal: faculty mentorship and support.

“I truly could not have asked for a better mentor,” Kokenge said, describing the professors who guided her through the program. “They’re as entertaining as they are educational, and that’s who I want to be.”

Rip echoes that sentiment, noting how approachable faculty — including the dean — have been throughout her time at SDSU.

“It feels like they know you and care about your success,” she said.

Both are now looking ahead to the next phase of their careers. Kokenge recently was accepted into SDSU’s Master of Science in chemistry education program for fall 2026, “so that I can expand my knowledge in the field of physical sciences and one day have the privilege of teaching dual-credit or AP Chemistry,” she said.
Rip, preparing to graduate, is weighing job offers and considering graduate school.

“Within the past two weeks, I’ve had three interviews, and I’ve been keeping an open mind,” she said.

Both said that looking back, they benefited from the same foundation: a program designed to prepare teachers for the classrooms of today and tomorrow.

“I loved SDSU more than I can put into words,” Kokenge said. “Whether it was medical, mental, financial or intellectual — I never had a need not be met by the staff and instructors at SDSU.”

Saying thanks

SDSU will show its appreciation for educators through two events in May:

• Operation Cookies and Cream on May 5 will distribute nearly 100 gallons of SDSU ice cream to Sioux Falls and area schools.
• A gratitude event on May 7 in the evening will be held at McCrory Gardens for graduating teacher candidates and the teachers who worked with SDSU to host field experiences.

To learn more about education programs at SDSU, visit the teacher education program webpage.