Megan Tyson '24 '26, English Alum Spotlight

Megan At A Glance

Education

  • B.A. English & Secondary Certification (7-12), 2014 (Shippensburg University) 
  • M.Ed. Educational Technology & Instructional Technology Specialist (PK-12), 2021 (York College of Pennsylvania) 
  • M.A. English & graduate writing certificate, 2024 (Millersville University) 
  • STEM Endorsement, 2026 (Millersville University)  

Career Highlights

  • High school STEAM Academy English teacher 
    • English 11, English 12, and dual enrollment English Composition I & II 
    • Yearbook Advisor  
    • Theatre Production Manager  
  • ​Published research on AR/VR and vocabulary acquisition and retention  
  • York College of Pennsylvania Spartans of the Year 
  • PAECT Paul W. Welliver Outstanding Graduate Student Award  

Current Pursuits 

  • York College of Pennsylvania's Communication and Writing Department, Adjunct Faculty  
  • Researching connections between dual enrollment and urban high school student success in post-secondary education, transition between high school and college/university, and the continued need for FYC courses with the rise of AI  

Continue reading Megan's story for insights into the professional life after graduating with a Master's degree. 

“Millersville was able to help me achieve and more...”

- Megan Tyson | M.A. '24, Graduate Certificate in Writing '24, STEM Endorsement '26

What drew you to millersville?

"When I was looking at M.A. English programs, the one thing that really stood out to me about Millersville’s program was the ability to essentially create my own degree. I was able to choose classes that aligned with my goals and interests. The other benefit was being able to add on the graduate writing certificate."

“I was learning from and working with faculty who were actively teaching a similar course to what I wanted to teach”

- Megan Tyson | M.A. '24, Graduate Certificate in Writing '24, STEM Endorsement '26

how did millersville's english program help you achieve your goals?

"My biggest goal in pursuing an M.A. in English was to be able to teach dual enrollment English Composition within the high school where I work. Millersville was able to help me achieve and more. While working through my own degree, I was learning from and working with faculty who were actively teaching a similar course to what I wanted to teach. Being able to create my own English Composition course from start to finish as my curricular thesis that is based in research and feedback from faculty was invaluable to both me and my own students now."

what advice do you have for current and/or prospective students? 

"For anyone even thinking about enrolling in the M.A. English program at Millersville: don’t think, just apply. This program and the journey through the degree has definitely been one of my most rewarding academic experiences. I’ve been to multiple conferences, created my own class, made connections, and made me really fall back in love with the content outside of my high school classroom. The faculty are also nothing short of amazing and are genuinely there to support you every step of the way. " 

“The faculty are also nothing short of amazing and are genuinely there to support you every step of the way.”

- Megan Tyson | M.A. '24, Graduate Certificate in Writing '24, STEM Endorsement '26

A Lifetime Commitment to English

You mentioned your research on the connections between dual enrollment and urban high school student success in post-secondary education. What has been the most interesting or enlightening part of the research process for you?  

"This is almost a mini passion project of mine. The high school I teach in has so many intelligent, hard working students with dreams of doing more who I continually see go on to post-secondary education to ultimately drop out. These students I work with are typically the first in their family to graduate high school, and the first to attend college. I want to find what these connections are to not only better prepare them for college, but to also shape my own teaching to benefit them." 

Registration Coming up? Megan Recommends...

"Without doubt, Dr. Pfannenstiel. Every class I took with her challenged me in so many ways, both in my own academics and to reflect on my teaching practices. In online classes, when it can be challenging to create community, she was always able to create a collaborative, engaging, and connected space for learning. Even outside of the classroom and as a grad student, there have been multiple opportunities where she invited me to conferences, helping me gain confidence in sharing my ideas with a wider audience. She was also an amazing thesis chair with her feedback and guidance throughout the entire process. I owe a lot of thanks to Dr. P for pushing me in all areas and to have the confidence to do so!"