Katelyn Jewett

Child life and Spanish double major Katelyn Jewett found more than just a place for academic excellence in the Honors College — she also found a place for service.

During Katelyn’s freshman year, she began volunteering at the Honors College tutoring program as something extra to do during the school week. Through this program, honors students tutor and mentor middle and high school students from the Searcy area for three hours each week.

After being very involved during her first semester at Harding, Katelyn was hired to be the program coordinator in the spring of her freshman year, a position she held off and on over the next three and a half years. She said the sessions were an integral part of her week.

“Every week I looked forward to that three hours,” Katelyn said. “Even though I haven't always been able to keep that position as tutoring coordinator because of classes, I've still made it my goal to be there at least once a week.”

Katelyn said she was able to see the impact student tutors have on the Searcy-area students.

“You can tell that you're making a difference,” Katelyn said. “When we have students who are willing to be those mentors, I think it just makes our little world around us better.”

Katelyn is still pursuing an internship in the child life field to be able to become a certified child life specialist, but her involvement in the tutoring program encouraged her to also consider a different career path in teaching.

“I decided I liked the education aspect,” Katelyn said “I've been able to maintain a classroom-like environment. I haven't done the teaching part, but I still want to be able to help students and am already doing that. I've found that I love it and I want to be able to make a difference for kids.”

Katelyn graduated in May 2021 as an Honors College Graduate with Distinction and plans to pursue a Master of Arts in teaching K-12 special education at Harding. Though she may enter the child life field before teaching, she plans to use her knowledge and teaching abilities to make a difference for children at some point in the future.