Getting to Know: Sara Dempster

Sara Dempster is an instructor of teacher education, faculty advisor for Nicholls Education Association of Teachers (NEAT) and president of the college of education’s alumni chapter.

Dempster graduated from Nicholls in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in birth to five early intervention.

During her undergraduate years, she was involved in NEAT, a student organization that allows education majors to volunteer at elementary, middle and high school events. She said the organization also enables students to interact with their classmates and become more familiar with the program.

Afterward, she went on to achieving her master’s degree in education technology leadership at Nicholls, and graduated in 2015.

She was then offered a graduate assistant job. The following year, Dempster accepted an adjunct position in the spring of 2016 and then her current position in the fall of 2016.

She has been at Nicholls ever since, and does not plan on ever leaving.

“I love this environment. I love working with my former professors, and I just love our students. There is something so special about working with people who want to be teachers. My passion is specifically helping them to be able to use technology to make their lives easier and to impact the lives of their future students.”

Dempster also enrolled at Sam Houston University during the fall of 2016 to pursue her doctorate in educational technology.

She said the first three to four years of her schooling is to complete classwork, while the fifth year is dedicated to writing a dissertation on a topic that interests her in the education
technology field.

When asked why she wanted to achieve her doctorate, she said, “I want to learn more about what I am passionate about. I want to learn about the field and the best ways to teach
students how to be teachers.”

She teaches education technology, an undergraduate class that focuses on the various technologies teachers can utilize in the classroom.

Dempster said they discuss how to use smartboards and virtual touring, access Google Drive and navigate IPad applications.

She also said she requires her students to pretend they have their own classes in order to create a resource website their students and parents can visit.

Dempster said her favorite thing about being a professor is interacting with her students, especially when they are new to the college of education program.

Growing up in Chackbay, Louisiana, Dempster said she always dreamed of becoming a teacher.

“When I was little, I loved playing classroom. I had gradebooks, chairs set up like desks and I just loved pretending to be a teacher.”

However, she noted that she wasn’t exactly inspired to become a teacher until she took her education introduction class where she was able to observe different educational settings.

During that semester, Dempster thought she would definitely become an elementary school teacher. However, that changed after taking the education technology course.

Her advice to students is: “Be involved, see what’s out there and don’t be afraid to approach professors, because we are here to help.”