Alum Honored with Prestigious Milken Educator Award

Jessica Chapman’s path to teaching wasn’t always clear, but she’s never looked back

Sacred Heart University alum Jessica Chapman MAT ’13 wasn’t expecting anything unusual at a recent assembly at Norwich Free Academy, where she teaches. But it was anything but ordinary: she learned she’d received the prestigious Milken Educator Award, which comes with a $25,000 prize.

“I didn’t think anything of [the assembly],” said Chapman, who is the only Connecticut teacher selected for the honor this school year. “I even jokingly texted a colleague of mine who recently won an award, asking if she was receiving another one.”

The Milken Educator Awards, an initiative of the Milken Family Foundation, honors top educators around the country with a monetary prize for their outstanding achievements in the classroom. Dubbed “the Oscars for teachers,” the award celebrates the tireless efforts of mid-career teachers who have shown a clear passion for education. Chapman’s efforts in the classroom and in her local community, where she fosters safe spaces for mental health resources, ensured she was a deserving recipient of the prestigious award.

At Norwich Free Academy, a private high school that provides education to a diverse range of students, Chapman teaches social studies, civics and history to students in grades nine through 12. Her civics classes are designed to ensure that multilingual learners can be equipped with the skills to become U.S. citizens.

Chapman, who earned her master’s degree in teaching at SHU, could not be more thankful for what the program taught her. “As someone who came out of undergraduate school with a degree, not in teaching, it wasn’t until I got in the classroom that my love for this field took off,” she said. “The year I got to spend fully immersed in a classroom environment gave me a leg up in my professional career.”

Karen Christensen, program director of the Farrington College of Education & Human Development’s Griswold location, remembers Chapman well. “There are students you never forget, and Jessica Chapman is one of them. Jessica was an excellent student who exemplified the ideal SHU-Griswold student. She displayed the highest standards regarding preparation, scholarship and innovation,” Christensen said.

Chapman has a message for those, like her, who might be unsure if teaching is right for them. “Don’t believe negative things you hear about being a teacher,” she said. “There are sacrifices you will have to make, and it’s not your normal nine-to-five job. But there is no greater feeling than when a student comes back to visit you, and you hear about their success. Knowing you played a role in this person’s development outweighs any negative aspect of the job.”

Chapman plans to reinvest the $25,000 award in her education, the betterment of her family and her future. However, she joked, “To celebrate, first on the list might be a ticket to finally see Taylor Swift in concert.”

Photo: Alum Jessica Chapman reacts after winning a Milken Educator Award. (Photo courtesy of the Milken Family Foundation)