Madisyn Earls Earns VSU College of Education and Human Services Excellence Award

Madisyn Chandler Earls of Macon, Georgia, is the recipient of the Fall 2022 President’s Award for Academic Excellence for the James L. and Dorothy H. Dewar College of Education and Human Services at Valdosta State University. She graduates summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Science in Education in Secondary Education.

VALDOSTA — Madisyn Chandler Earls of Macon, Georgia, is the recipient of the Fall 2022 President’s Award for Academic Excellence for the James L. and Dorothy H. Dewar College of Education and Human Services at Valdosta State University.

The President’s Award for Academic Excellence is presented to a high-performing graduating student in each of VSU’s six colleges — Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, College of the Arts, James L. and Dorothy H. Dewar College of Education and Human Services, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and College of Science and Mathematics.

Earls will be recognized during VSU’s 234^th Commencement at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10, on the Front Lawn. She will graduate summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Science in Education in Secondary Education.

“Attaining my degree in both English and secondary education has come with challenges,” she said. “However, I am thankful to my professors and department heads for ensuring that I was equipped to tackle those challenges and am now prepared to be successful in my career upon graduating from VSU. I owe all of my accomplishments to God and my family and extended family; they have supported me every step of the way. I will forever be grateful to my professors, supervisors, and mentor teacher for all the knowledge, resources, and encouragement they have provided me. Finally, I want to recognize my secondary education cohort and the rest of my fellow education graduates. It is truly through collaboration and supporting one another that we have all made it to this point.”

As a student, Earls served as an editor on Volume 11 of Omnino, VSU’s undergraduate research journal, and published a creative writing piece, “The Hidden Noose,” in the 2021 edition of On Tap, VSU’s student-run and student-read magazine. She was a HOPE Scholar and earned repeated Dean’s List honors.

Earls worked as a tutor with the Upward Bound program at Mercer University during Summer 2019 and Summer 2020.

“Upward Bound is an educational program offered during the school year and the summer to high school students from low-income families or families where neither parent holds a bachelor's degree,” she said. “The purpose of the program is to increase the rate at which students complete high school and graduate from college. Students who attend the program are provided with academic tutoring, assistance with the college application process, opportunities to go on college visits, and more.”

Earls volunteered at the Free to Read program hosted by Appleton Episcopal Ministries in Macon, Georgia, during Summer 2022.

“Free to Read is a six-week reading and enrichment program offered to elementary school students living in underserved and impoverished communities,” she said. “Students who attend the program read new books each day, receive reading instruction, are fed two meals and a snack, and get to take all the books they have read over the summer home with them at the end of the program.”

Earls plans to pursue a career as a middle school or high school English teacher in Georgia. Her goal is to help students develop a love for reading and writing by creating literacy-rich learning environments.

“One of the reasons I have always wanted to be an English teacher is because I understand the power of literacy,” she said. “Reading allows students to make sense of the world around them as they interpret the opinions and experiences of others. Writing allows students to express their own opinions and experiences, a skill essential for students to succeed beyond the classroom.”

When she is home in Macon, Earls attends Lizzie Chapel Baptist Church, where she volunteers as a children’s church teacher. Her supportive family includes mom Dr. Pamela Earls, dad Dr. Julian Earls, and sister Mariah Earls.