April 30, 2025
Spring 2025 Graduate: Katelyn Walters
Name: Katelyn Walters
Major/Degree Program: B.S. Secondary Mathematics Education, B.A. Mathematics, Minor in Composite Natural Sciences
Hometown/Current City: Wake Forest, NC (hometown); Greenville, NC (current city)
Hobbies/interests: I love pickleball, serving at my church – I specifically do photography and social media, going to any and all sporting events at ECU (born and bred a Pirate)! I love doing math and hanging with dogs and also spending time with my friends!
What’s your favorite memory from your time at ECU?
I think my favorite memory from my time at ECU was one of two things. Doing my final show for the Inviting Laughter and Applause into Public Speaking Honors College seminar, which was essentially stand-up comedy. The other would be attending the Southeastern NOYCE Conference in Alabama. It was the first time I got to create a poster and present at a conference. I got to go with my cohort and the cohort that graduated last year in secondary mathematics and NOYCE with Dean Greene and Dr. Charity Cayton. It was so fun attending the conference, learning from some of the best, and traveling around Alabama and surrounding areas to explore math and science. There are so many memories to choose between — the more I think, the more that come to mind. I have absolutely loved every second of my time at ECU, whether it was in my programs, with my college ministry FUSE, my job in the ECU Math Cave, the Honors College, or sporting events. I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world.
What inspired you to pursue a career in education?
My mom. I am a fourth generation East Carolina educator. My great grandma graduated East Carolina Teachers Training School, my grandma graduated East Carolina Teachers College, and my mom graduated from ECU in math education.
*Note: Katelyn shared an essay she shared on why she wanted to be an educator where she shared how in awe she was of her mom during the mornings she had to go to school with her. She also said she was able to see both sides of education — the fulfilling times but also the stress and frustration — which made her not want to become an educator for a long time. Although she began college as an exercise physiology major, she found that she was missing math, which was something she had been heavily involved in during high school as a tutor and teaching assistant. She found a job as a tutor in ECU’s Math Cave and that was it for her. After numerous conversations with family, mentors and advisors, she changed her major.
Who has made the biggest impact on your journey here?
There are so many people to list, so many professors, bosses, directors, friends, family, etc., that I would love to shout out! The answer I keep returning to, tearing up as I type this, is my cohort. The Lord called me to pursue education after I was already at ECU. That was a scary and intimidating change. Even more scary for me was when I met Dr. Preston during the process of navigating this change, and he informed me that the high school math cohort I would potentially join only had 2 people in it. I was terrified to come in late, to be the odd ball out, to not be good enough or looked down upon because I didn’t know I wanted to teach when I first came to college. That was the furthest from what happened. The first semester I was in the program I met Sophie Zeldin and Ethan Senator in MATE 3300 Geometry with Dr. Chandler. They didn’t know I was joining their cohort but they let me join their group for this abstract geometry project we would do all semester. The three of us became inseparable after that. We did every project, every homework assignment, nights studying, all the things together. I was ahead of them in the BA at some points so I would support them there and they would support me in catching up on MATE courses. We spent countless nights in the library together. We sent voice memos, endless texts, videos, facetimes, phone calls, etc. We were always there for one another supporting one another. We have all 3 been so successful in our internships. We grinded the edTPA together and helping one another. Sophie and I interned at the same school so we walk into school together most days. I would not be the educator I am without them. I owe parts of my success to their support. We all intend to remain close despite none of us teaching at the same school next year.
What’s next after graduation?
After graduation, I have accepted a position to teach math at J.H. Rose High school about 5 minutes from campus and the school where my mom taught Algebra 2 to Chancellor Phillip Rogers years ago. I will be close so ECU can’t get rid of me yet and I intend to eventually pursue a master’s degree at ECU in either math education or school administration/educational leadership.
What advice would you give to future College of Education students?
Find your people and find your teacher voice. We aren’t meant to do life alone so stop trying to. As for the other, I did my research and honors thesis on teacher voice. As a teacher, one of your jobs is to advocate. I could care less about proficiency on an exam if my students leave better than they came in and the best way for me to ensure that happens is to advocate for them and myself. Being a teacher is a calling. There are some things ECU just can’t teach to prepare us for the profession but if you are called then you will cling to your why and your calling.
How has the College of Education prepared you for the classroom (or your next step?)
ECU COE has prepared me to not be afraid to step outside of the norm. Tradition is good and, don’t get me wrong, I love many things about traditional teaching style but I would be silly to not acknowledge that it’s not working for many students. Step outside of the box in a way that is intentional such that it has the best ability to be efficient and effective. The worst thing that happens is it fails, and if it fails, it fails. The world keeps spinning and we just drop back and punt to teach another way. ECU has helped reveal unconscious biases in the world of education and taught me how to be adaptable and differentiate. I have found my voice and can’t wait to use it.
From Dr. Ron Preston (associate professor in mathematics education and MSITE director of students): Katelyn is an excellent student with a very high GPA, Honors College, Noyce Scholar, double major, and won the Eastern Region Mathematics Education Student of the Year Award from the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics this year. She has other accolades and accomplishments as well, but the human-interest part of the spotlight is that she is a 4th generation Pirate Educator! I will have to get all the details from Katelyn, but her mother is a HS mathematics teacher, and her mother was a teacher as was her mother. All prepared at ECU or an earlier iteration of the name.