John Fulford ‘05
John Fulford received a master’s degree in adolescence education from Daemen College in 2005 and then began his teaching career in his hometown of Toronto, Ont.
Before attending Daemen, he worked for 13 years at Covenant House, an organization for homeless youth in Toronto, where his position as educational coordinator inspired him to pursue his dream of becoming a teacher.
In Daemen’s Weekend Education Program for Canadian Students, classes were held Friday nights and all day Saturday, a schedule that enabled students to work full-time while also pursuing their degree. Fulford believes it was the support of his classmates and professors who led to his success.
“My classmates were an amazing group of people who ranged in age from their early 20s to over age 40 as I was at that time,” said Fulford. “Daemen was the perfect fit for me, particularly because it allowed me to attend classes and still have time for my family and to take care of my sons.”
Fulford currently works at Monsignor Fraser College – St. Martin Campus in the Toronto Catholic District School Board’s Expelled Program, which provides students an opportunity to continue their academic studies with the goal of returning to a mainstream school.
“Many of my students haven’t had a great deal of success with their educational experience,” he said. “In the classroom, I try to bring to life what I learned from Professors Bruce Shields and Dennis Welka, who were outstanding instructors.”