Gavin Mitsdarfer, Hannah Rake and Jordyn Reynolds, education majors at PennWest’s Edinboro, Clarion and California campuses, respectively, attended the National Education Association Aspiring Educators Conference and Representative Assembly June 28 to July 7 in Portland, Oregon.

All three are active members of the Student Pennsylvania State Education Association, a preservice organization for aspiring educators at Pennsylvania universities and colleges. They were elected by their peers to serve as delegates, marking the first time that all three PennWest campuses had an elected delegate at these events.

At the Aspiring Educators Conference, Mitsdarfer, Rake and Reynolds participated in breakout sessions to expand pedagogical knowledge and practice, learn about the history of the teachers’ unions across the United States, and elected aspiring educator leaders for next year.

At the Representative Assembly, they joined 5,000 active and retired educators from across the country to learn about protecting public education, decide union business for the next year, and elect leaders for the NEA.

PennWest Clarion's SPSEA Chapter was recognized with the Chapter Event of the Year award, and Mitsdarfer was awarded one of the six NEA Retired Jack Kinnaman Scholarships. Mitsdarfer was also elected as the lead director of the NEA Aspiring Educators Caucus.

Mitsdarfer is a senior secondary education/English and special education major from Enola, Pennsylvania. This fall, he will serve as vice president of the Edinboro SPSEA, after previously serving as secretary and treasurer. In 2024, he received Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education’s Keepers of the Flame Award, presented annually to an individual from each of the 14 State System campuses for their contributions to creating and promoting diverse, equitable and inclusive environments that cultivate a sense of belonging. He participates in the Honors Program.

Rake is a junior early childhood and elementary education major from DuBois, Pennsylvania. This fall, she will be president of Clarion SPSEA, after previously holding the office of treasurer, and president-elect of the state SPSEA; she will become president of the state SPSEA in the 2026-2027 academic year. She is involved in Kappa Delta Pi.

Reynolds is a senior middle-level education/science major with a special education minor and is from Philadelphia. She has been a member of California SPSEA since 2022 and has worked on membership and outreach initiatives. She is treasurer and public relations coordinator for Alpha Kappa Alpha and president of Black Student Union. She is on the board of directors for SAI, is a member of PennWest DEI Student Leadership Council and Leadership Academy. She is cofounder of SHIFT, a multicultural board initiated after she attended Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education Women's Leadership Institute.