Shaun Smith graduated from Michigan State University with a dual-degree in Psychology and East Asian Languages & Culture in 2008. Since then, he has traveled great swaths of Asia and North America working in roles as divergent as language teacher, social worker and business consultant and sought new, cultural experiences at every turn. These experiences have been humbling and life-changing; through them Shaun learned how people live in different parts of the world and how, despite geographic location, we share a common goal: To make life better for our families, societies and future generations.
Shaun’s exploration has led him to the conclusion that teaching foreign language and social studies – teaching how people interact in a dynamic, evolving world now and through history – is the best way to do something meaningful with the skills and experiences he acquired while studying and traveling. As a result, Shaun decided to pursue his Masters in Education at the University of Oregon in order to learn how to become a better teacher.
Shaun feels lucky to be teaching at one of Oregon’s finest middle schools and to have the opportunity to meet so many bright, talented and open-minded young people ready to explore history and the world with him.
