Georgian Court University

Education at Georgian Court University

Different path, same destination
Nick Lorusso ’15 thought he wanted to be a surgeon, but after earning a BS in Biology, he changed his mind.

“I could do lab work, but for me, that wasn’t going to be fulfilling,” he explained. “Someone suggested that I consider teaching, and the truth is, it was always something that I loved.”

Nick grew up around teachers, including his mother, Pat Lorusso. The veteran educator served in classroom and administrative roles before joining Georgian Court University as Director of Field Experiences and Clinical Partnerships. She encouraged him to consider GCU’s graduate teacher certification program.

Nick enrolled, but it wasn’t easy—in fact, he describes it as “one tough year of taking six-hour classes and working at the same time. It was a lot of work, but getting through it was worth it.”

Today, Nick is a standout STEM teacher at Keansburg High School in Keansburg, New Jersey. His classes include biology and courses that integrate engineering, science, math, website development, and coding.

“This brings me back to my roots,” Nick adds. “I love to understand how and why things work. Science is always changing, and there’s always something new to teach, to learn, to know.”

Teaching and learning at the same time
Jess Singer ’18 knew what she signed up for. Becoming an educator isn’t easy, and time management can be a challenge for anyone, let alone a part-time student balancing student-teaching, coaching two cheerleading teams full-time, and working a part-time weekend job. But Jess’s love for the field is a testament to the power of great teaching.

“I firmly believe that when you sign up to be a teacher, you sign up to be a student for life,” Jess says. “My students teach me something every day—whether that be something new that I didn’t know or something about myself and my teaching.”

At Georgian Court University, we believe all students have a right to high-quality education, so we give you the foundation and one-on-one attention to ensure you can, in turn, do the same for your students. Our degree and certification programs meet all necessary criteria to teach or counsel students or to lead school communities. Our small class sizes and individualized mentoring enable you to develop skills and tailor them to the career of your choice.