Senior student mentor: profile on Tim Pressley

Fort Worth, TX

1/29/2009

By Katie Giangreco, TCU Office of Communications

Tim Pressley has a passion for education and it shows. The senior early education major’s desire to help students earned him a spot in a prestigious group in the College of Education, the Senior Mentor Program.

As a senior mentor, Pressley and a few select seniors serve as ambassadors to the college for visitors, prospective students and current students. This fall, the mentors held a welcoming party for new students to the college and they gave a tour of the education building to the Parents Council. Pressley said he enjoys being able to discuss the many opportunities education majors have at TCU.

“I’m very honored to be a part of the mentor program, especially because we’re recommended by faculty. Knowing that professors pick students who they think are the best leaders and do well in classes means a lot,” he said. “I’m glad that I’ve shown my passion for education in my classes and that faculty notice it.”

Pressley, a native of East Lansing, Michigan, said he reflected on his own experiences with education when he chose his major.

“My dad was a professor of education, so I’ve been around teachers my entire life,” he said. “I want to be able to help kids and be an influence on their lives just like my teachers have been on me.”
Pressley’s degree will have a specialization in special education. He said teaching kids with learning disabilities is a learning experience for him as well.

“It’s so inspiring to be around them. The little successes in their lives are so huge,” he said.

The opportunities the College of Education provides its students for teaching experience in actual classrooms before they graduate is something Pressley values.

“Most colleges of education don’t provide the real world experience that we’re getting,” he said. “It’s so important to be able to apply what we learn in the classroom before we’re thrown into the field.”

Pressley is only one of two males in the EC4 program in the College of Education. He said he rarely notices his gender minority status.

“We spend so much time with each other, it’s like they’re my sisters and we’re always there for each other,” he said. “But by the end of the week, I’m usually ready to take a break from females and hang out with my guy friends.”

Outside of the College of Education, Pressley is a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, which he joined his freshman year. He serves as the academic secretary and does risk management.

Pressley will graduate in May 2009 but will stay at TCU for another year for his master’s degree. After that, he plans to teach for a few years and then get his doctorate in policy or reading. Earning his doctorate will allow him to have a greater impact on education, Pressley said.

“I don’t want to limit my impact to just one classroom. I want to have the greatest reach possible,” he said