ECTC made transferring simple for education student

When aspiring educator Connor Yoak began his college career, he decided his best start could be found at ECTC as a transfer student. He spent most of his life in a small town in Illinois – population around 750 – and thought studying at a tight-knit college with smaller class sizes would ease his transition to a four-year university.

“If I’d gone to a larger university fresh out of high school, I would have gotten lost in the shuffle,” he said. “Here at a smaller college like ECTC, you feel like part of a community that cares about you.”

After earning his Associate in Arts, Yoak transferred to Western Kentucky University this fall and is working toward a double certification in English and history middle school education, with the end goal of teaching high school. Multiple factors influenced his decision to pursue this path. For one, he comes from a family of educators and has admired them and wanted to follow in their footsteps since he was a child. For another, his father always wanted to be a teacher but was unable to complete his studies.

“In a way, I’m fulfilling his goal,” Yoak said. “He’s a history buff and a lot of his interest has rubbed off on me.”

Yoak said much of what he learned at ECTC will stay with him throughout his career – including setting up a classroom, dealing with broken rules and creating lesson plans. His education classes taught him to be a better teacher, mentor and problem solver.

“I enjoyed teaching and advising Connor Yoak while he was a student at ECTC,” said Education Program Coordinator Melia Mattingly. “He has worked diligently to obtain the knowledge and skills needed to be successful at WKU and, eventually, as a middle grades social studies teacher.”

At ECTC, Yoak found a place where he felt like he mattered, and where he knew his instructors cared about his success. He said that starting at the college, then transferring to WKU was the right decision.  

“Having a college nearby, inexpensive, and where credits transfer easily to a four-year university was very important to me,” he said. “ECTC made me wiser and gave me the foundation that will be expanded upon in the next two years at WKU. I will make sure my teachers’ efforts don’t go to waste.”

Connor Yoak