Desiree Caldwell, EdD, Assistant Professor, Master Teacher & Special Education Program
“As a longtime GMercyU Education faculty member, I believe Mercy education makes a difference because it personally made a difference for me. I started my GMercyU journey as an undergraduate student in the Education program, but I didn’t just receive an education and learn how to be a teacher; I also received an opportunity to enrich my life by serving others through all the different projects offered within the school. This opportunity presented itself through my own professors, other faculty members, and even staff members.
I always knew I wanted to be a part of the faculty here because I wanted future students to have the same enriching experience I did. Yes, attending college is about getting an education, but it can also be life-changing, and the Mercy education provided at GMercyU does just that. I couldn’t be prouder to be both an alumna and a faculty member of GMercyU!”
Cheryl L. Malfi, EdD, Assistant Professor, Field Placement Coordinator
“I believe that Mercy education makes a difference and in some cases the provision of mercy can be the gift that determines success or failure. A recipe for teaching, absent the ingredient of mercy is like baking a strawberry shortcake without the strawberries. This is because learning takes place when the learner possesses a calm mind, free of distraction. Distraction takes up space from the content of the material to be learned. Distractions such as anxiety, worry, or fear, for example, can enter the mind of the student when they are not nurtured by their teacher. When the disposition of the teacher is unfriendly, unkind, grouchy, demanding, negative, as opposed to friendly, kind, supportive, positive, the learner tends to shut down from the learning environment in order to escape the unpleasant demeanor and environment fostered by the teacher.
Teachers have the ability to punish by way of grades, verbal remarks, non-verbal language. And, if punishment isn't on the teacher's menu, behaviors such as ridicule, embarrassment, and shaming can occur when mercy is lacking. Teachers who get high on power and authority rather than on shared leadership and choice, create a classroom environment incapable of inviting student curiosity and exploration. Mercy in action is visible when the teacher possesses a positive, supportive, encouraging disposition. Mercy opens up the mind and the heart. Modeling mercy to our students sets the example of how we are to be.
Mercy is a building block in inter and intrapersonal relationships and when students see this mercy in action in every classroom it gets inculcated into the being of the learner. This is how we change society. When students are shown mercy all the time in every circumstance that becomes all they know. Caring for and lifting each other up becomes who we are and how we function. Mercy flows out of each person and into every interaction. The world becomes helpful, understanding, reassuring, caring, sympathetic, encouraging. When these words become actions, we are productive and successful alone and with others.
At Gwynedd Mercy University, we learned from the founding Sisters of Mercy to have deep concern for the needs of persons who are poor. We translate that today to mean not financial lack but instead to mean uplifting all who need to be cared for. We teach and provide education from a stance of compassion and nurturing. Mercy gives life, empowerment, strength. Mercy provides opportunity. Mercy Is love.
A merciful classroom asks the questions:
Does my classroom incorporate differentiated instruction and differentiated assessment every day? Does my classroom make known, value, and celebrate differences in culture, gender, ability, disability, ethnicity, personal choice and voice? Does my classroom teach that we can hold different opinions but respect and care for each other even though we differ? Does my classroom have a climate of lifting each other up? Does my classroom demonstrate that I am the champion of each student, and do students champion students?”
Marianne C. Kaemmer, EdD, Adjunct Professor, Master Teacher and Master’s in Special Education Programs
“Mercy Education makes a difference for our future teachers and their students. Throughout my years overseeing students pursuing their teaching certification, the tenets of Gwynedd Mercy University have been a guiding force. This ensures that future teachers focus on the unique strengths and needs of their learners, work collaboratively with their peers, and continue their professional development.
I am very grateful to serve in any capacity to support the faculty and students of Gwynedd Mercy University.”
Mary Jo Pierantozzi, Professor Emerita
“The value of a Mercy education is enormous and I have been blessed to have had a Mercy education myself. As a Mercy educated teacher, I know that Mercy has been infused into everything I have done in the classroom. In my opinion, all teachers can infuse the research-based pedagogy into their work. The key characteristic of Mercy educated teachers is that Mercy is infused into everything they do as well. Mercy teachers teach with heart. The Core Values are always at the forefront of all that they do: integrity, respecting the dignity of their students, service to society.
These are, and always have been, the guiding forces behind my teaching and I hope that this has been evident to my students over the course of my career. I am proud to be an alumna of and a professor at Gwynedd Mercy University.”
Deborah Schadler, PhD, CPCRT, PRSE
Assistant Dean & Assistant Professor Education, GMercyU
"Given the social/moral climate, often turmoil, in society today, the influence of a Mercy education is more important than ever. A Mercy education provides an advisory, curricular, career-focused stability for students to grow into professionals who will impact society. Students today may shoulder heavy emotional, financial and/or personal burdens. The support lived through a Mercy education anchors the student.
I am blessed to constantly encounter graduates who are making such an impact. Recently, at our Autism Conference, a young alumna, Heather Massey ’10 ’16, approached me. She had many personal struggles as a student but now makes a significant contribution as head of a highly successful company which provides services to people with challenges. Furthermore, the very young child who often accompany her to her classes at Gwynedd is a first-year nursing student at Gwynedd!”
The following thoughts on education were originally posted in 2020-2023.
Alumni
Derrick Coleman, EdD '17
Superintendent, River Rouge School District
"The Mercy values have significant influence in my work as an educator because they are a constant reminder of the need for unwavering service and commitment in the spirit of the most high.
GMercyU has reinforced in me the spirit to help others understand that we must work selflessly to ensure the least amongst us are provided with the dignity and care this university showed me as a student."
Justin Collins '21
9th Grade Teacher, Parkway Northwest High School for Peace and Social Justice
"As a teen, I always wanted to be an attorney. Law and the government have always interested me. Instead of working reactively and helping people get out of trouble, I figured that I could work more proactively and keep people out of trouble. Naturally, I thought about teaching the same subjects that interest me most."
Crystal Edwards, EdD '20
School Principal, William D. Kelley Elementary School
2023 Recipient of the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for Distinguished Principal Leadership
“If anyone’s feelings were hurt or dreams were shattered at other places like me, GMercyU is real. It’s not some walk in the park or easy. No, that’s not it. But it’s a place that takes you seriously. GMercyU is doing the real human work of healing people.”
Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Tribune
Kiersten Godzieba
Pre-K4 Teacher, Queens of Angels Regional Catholic School
"I still hear Ms. Pierantozzi in my head every week as I teach and as time goes on, I am so thankful for the academic foundation she provided us.
All of my experiences, both in and out of the classroom, have shaped me into being a Distinctive Mercy Graduate. To me, that means you take with you the values you learned and find a way to make those work in the career path you have chosen. You find a way to weave those into everything you do and how you spread that message to others."
Jacqlyn Gallagher '16
Fifth Grade Teacher, Blue Bell Elementary School
"I truly credit GMercyU with preparing me to be the best teacher I could be and providing me with a toolbox of strategies for the large repertoire of skills it takes to be an effective teacher."
Amanda Hickson, MS '13, '17
Teacher, Holy Cross Regional Catholic School
"One thing that stood out in my time at GMercyU was that the idea of becoming a teacher was not just treated as a career opportunity, but rather as a vocation. It was not just about getting a job post graduation and working, but about going out and making as much of a positive difference as we could in a child’s life through the work we did.
As a teacher who has been in the classroom now for eight years, I would say that on top of academic excellence, the ideas of empathy and encouragement are very important to me. My goal is to encourage the students to not only give their best in the work they do, but in how they care for and treat others."
Alexis Howard '20
Third Grade Teacher, Abington School District
"It is important to build relationships and support systems with your students. When I first began my position, it was important that I got to know my students before speeding 100 miles per hour into the academics. I create a safe place for students to share, if they would like. As an educator, I believe students thrive in a nurturing environment."
Jihan Latimer '20
Sixth Grade Science Teacher
"The education I received here at GMercyU gave me a flexible and adaptable teaching spirit. I call myself the traveling teacher, because I have been to many schools, and those experiences allowed me to meet all kinds of fellow teachers and staff, and improve my networking and teaching skills. I love to teach and will never give up on the students. I continuously promote my inspirational books, to inspire students to read more books and grow their reading fluency, reading comprehension, phonemic awareness and phonic's skills."
Evelyn Nunez-Lebron, EdD '17
Chief of Schools, The School District of Philadelphia
“Choosing the EdD Program at Gwynedd Mercy University was one of the best decisions I have made in my educational journey. The high level of guidance and support which I received from the professors and my dissertation advisor was exactly what I needed to facilitate the completion of the dissertation while also working full-time as a principal in a large, urban elementary school."
Erin Park '16
Kindergarten Teacher, Saint Genevieve School
"It took me a little time to find my dream job, but I found it! I teach at Saint Genevieve School in Flourtown, teaching kindergarten! I also am a Coordinator of Religious Education for our parish. GMercyU prepared me so perfectly for the world of education. Thank you GMercyU ❤"
Jo'anna Pray '18
Third Grade Teacher, St. Malachy's
"I think being a Distinctive Mercy Graduate is taking the values I learned at GMercyU and carrying them with me in my life and not just my career. A lot of the Mercy values such as diversity, immigration, and helping those who are unfortunate, I take with me not just as a teacher but as a person."
Melissa Russo, MS '18
Fifth Grade Teacher, Horry County Schools
"My Mercy-centered education has prepared me for a lot in my professional career. I feel as if I have more grace, more understanding, and more patience. I hold myself to a standard that I try to reach every day, but I also understand sometimes that standard may not be reached. I don't allow myself to give up, but think of new ways to go about something to hopefully find success."
Steven Rufe, M.Ed. '12
Director of Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports, The School District of Philadelphia
"Would I make more money doing something else? Heck yes! But would I be transforming the world? Would I be helping to make a system stronger and better? Probably not. GMercyU taught me to challenge the status quo not by getting rid of it, but joining systems that need extra love, support, care, and transformation. GMercyU taught me a mindset and perspective and challenged my privilege, perspective, and thinking."
Stacey Lee Salvato '04
Reading Specialist K-4, Francis A. Desmares Elementary School
"As a child, school was always hard for me; papers came naturally but tests were another story. I felt inadequate compared to my peers since I was in the support classes. It wasn't until my sophomore year at GMercyU that my Dean suggested I go and get evaluated. I was diagnosed with dyslexia and then was given the proper tools, not the coping mechanisms I developed on my own, to thrive in my classes. I knew in 3rd grade that I wanted to be a teacher but it wasn't until I was at GMercyU and had the proper support that I knew that dream was truly possible!
Fast forward to 2022, I am in my 14th year as a reading specialist and get to help students that are in the same educational position as I was. I struggled with reading and now I get to help students with those same difficulties so they do not feel bad about themselves as I did as a student. Thank you GMercyU for helping me see my full potential and believing in me when I didn't always believe in myself."
Lucinda Schaeffer EdD '22
Tim Smyth, MS ‘08
Janine Twaddle, EdD
Stefanie Wood, MS ‘08 
Marianne Boyd, M.Ed. 
Tiffany Cresswell-Yeager, PhD 
Peggy Kerr, EdD