SHREVEPORT – A career in teaching wasn’t Artishalyn Ford’s first choice.

Ford shifted professions to become a paraprofessional in DeSoto Parish because her aunt, who was her children’s primary care provider while she worked, passed away.

But once Ford got into the classroom, she knew she wanted to lead one of her own.

The 48-year-old will get that chance this year as a second-grade math and social studies teacher at Mansfield Elementary School.

Ford finished her bachelor’s degree in elementary education at LSUS this spring, more than 15 years after starting down that path.

“It’s hard to explain how I feel – I’m truly blessed for God to allow me to finish and continue down this path,” Ford said. “I don’t even know if I’ve realized what I’ve done and the magnitude of it.

“I’m the type of person that if I start something, I’m going to finish it. I have a strong will, and I made my mind up. By God I was going to finish it one way or the other.”

Ford’s paraprofessional career started in 2005 at the now-closed Pelican All Saints High in DeSoto Parish, and just a few years later, Ford was taking education classes at LSUS.

Fast forward more than 15 years later and with all the wisdom and experience that life brings, and Ford is a standout student who desires to continue to change the trajectory of children’s lives.

She was one of three LSUS students named to the Louisiana Board of Regents Future Educators Honor Roll, which recognizes the top education students who are the verge of completing their degree.

“I remember there was a second-grader who said, ‘I can’t do multiplication,’” Ford recalls. “We tried a lot of different strategies, but one day toward the end of the year, the light bulb came on.

“He stood up and shouted, ‘I got it Miss Ford, I got it.’ That moment right there, that’s why I teach. You want those babies to know that you’re going to figure out a way.”

While there are various paths to the classroom, LSUS education department chair Dr. Joyce Farrow said four-year teacher preparatory programs remain the best way to prepare and retain teachers.

“Our program is set apart by the way we prepare our students,” Farrow said. “Almost everyone that graduates our program has a position before they graduate – even our December graduates usually find a long-term substitute teacher spot to fill.

“There’s certainly a need for more teachers, especially in special education, science and math, and secondary teachers of all types.”

According to the Louisiana Board of Regents, Louisiana is short 2,500 teachers across the state, a problem that plagues every state across the country.

The LSUS Education Department is active in partnering with teaching programs at the high school level and recruiting current college students to choose education as their major.

“This is a generation that wants to give back, that wants something meaningful in their work lives and personal lives,” Farrow said. “There’s not a day in teaching when you’re not affecting someone else’s life trajectory.

“If that’s what you want to do, there’s no better place to be.”

The department was recently recognized by the Louisiana Department of Education for earning an A+ rating on the NCTQ Elementary Math Report.

In addition to offering cutting-edge education theory and practice, the LSUS education program emphasizes teaching experience outside of the classroom.

Whether its on-campus opportunities like The Pioneer Heritage Center or partnerships with community entities like Sci-Port Discovery Center, Cooper said early exposure to these opportunities are critical to teacher development.

“They can get ideas of where to bring their class and what lessons can be incorporated back into class,” said Dr. Lisa Cooper, an assistant professor of professional practice. “They aren’t just learning how to teach lessons, they are participating in reading nights and STEM activities outside of the classroom.

“There’s a pedagogy advantage in a four-year program in that students can experience diverse settings with a cohort of teachers. Teaching is something in which you’re not successful by yourself – you’re not in a silo.”

The Pilot Education Center on campus fosters relationships among students in a classroom-type setting that has educational and social benefits.

One crucial out-of-the-classroom experience is the annual Louisiana Teacher Leader Summit where more than 6,000 educators and administrators across the state convene.

LSUS faculty and students attend every summer, making the trek to New Orleans each June.

“We hear all the time our students say, ‘Oh we already learned that in our program,’ after a session,” Cooper said. “They get to see what they are actually going to be doing in the field.

“They experienced that topic or had a little exposure to it, and now they see how it’s actually going to work in the classroom.”

Relationships are vital in settings such as the summit, allowing students to converse with teachers and principals in a less formal setting than in a classroom or interview.

The experience also provides chances for students to meet LSUS teaching alumni, like 2024 graduate Vina Perez.

Perez is a teacher at Meadowview Elementary in Bossier Parish who was named lead teacher for her grade just after one year in the classroom.

Ford, who attended a past summit, credits LSUS with developing the public persona needed to stand in front of a classroom.

“I don’t like attention or the spotlight, but LSUS put in me in that spotlight, and I learned how to handle myself,” Ford said. “I wasn’t afraid to speak or step up.

“I want to inspire students, especially those who feel like they can’t do it. Teachers teach everybody – doctors, lawyers and all those other titles and positions come through us. If you want to be a part of that, get in the classroom and become a teacher.”