Aaron Dicken, AU Senior

When Aaron Dicken picked up a tennis racket at New Castle Chrysler High School, he didn’t realize it would lead him to a career – although not in professional sports. He also didn’t realize that it would lead him to friendships, role models, and the opportunity to become a role model himself.

After beginning the sport in high school, tennis became a passion for Dicken, but he didn’t anticipate continuing the sport after graduation. However, his high school friend and teammate, Cameron Scott, went on to play tennis at Anderson University, and Dicken’s interest was piqued. "I began asking him questions about the school," Dicken recalls, "and mainly asked him if he thought I could make it playing tennis at AU." The pieces fell into place, and Dicken entered AU in 2004. "Once I got to Anderson, it turned into a lot more than just playing tennis in college," Dicken says. "I fell in love with the campus, the people, and the community as a whole."

Not only did Dicken find unexpected joys at AU, but he also discovered a new career direction. Although he entered AU with an athletic training major, Dicken decided to change to elementary education. "Luckily, I’m fortunate to have the support of my family and can finish my education at AU," he explains. His family’s support is not surprising, since his father taught high school English for 37 years, and his mother teaches family and consumer sciences. Dicken appreciates his family’s support, but he also values the opportunities and relationships he has found in his new program and throughout the university. "I am very happy with the way things have developed since changing my major," he says. Dicken has found new families on the tennis court, in the education department, and throughout the university as a whole.

In tennis, Dicken has found a community of men. "Tennis has…allowed me to become really close to the other guys on the team, " he says. "It’s so cliché, but they seriously have become my brothers at school, and I really love playing [tennis] and hanging out with them." His coach has also become part of Dicken’s extended family, especially as a daily example of a man of faith. "He makes me want to be a better person everyday," Dicken explains. Being the same kind of role model is one of the reasons Dicken decided to become a teacher. "There are not enough male teachers at the elementary level to be a mentor, as well as educator, for all children," Dicken says. "I would like to become an educator who not only excites his students and keeps that yearning for learning alive, but also who provides his students with a life model of how to be a positive impact to society."

Dicken strives to make a positive impact himself, whether it’s through mission trips or by leading worship on his guitar. The foremost way Dicken plans to make a difference, however, is through his career as a teacher. To that end, he has taken advantage of many opportunities the School of Education (SOE) offers. He has formed strong relationships with the faculty and staff of the SOE, both in the classroom and by working in the office. Dicken explains, "The number one thing I appreciate about the education department is their knowledge and experience….[The professors] can give valuable advice that is really helpful for anything from classroom management to how to deal with your supervising teacher." Through working in the office with the professors and staff, Dicken has found another community. "Mrs. Fridley, Mrs. Matas, and Mrs. Smith have become my ‘on-campus mothers,’" he says. He also enjoys discussing music with Dr. Robinson, the Florida Gators with Dr. Ross (not Dicken’s favorite team, but Ross covers pictures of her grandchildren with Gators posters!), and "how to understand women" with Dr. Walker.

Another opportunity the SOE provided for Dicken was the recent trip to Alaska. In May 2007, Dr. Diana Ross, Dicken, and four other students traveled through the Tri-S program to Alaska. There, they observed a Blue-Ribbon school (a high-achieving school populated mostly by minority students) and even earned school credit for teaching. Dicken says, "I got to spend at least 80 hours in the classroom, in their after-school program, and on field trips, as well as see an absolutely gorgeous part of the country." Through his work with the fifth graders in the classroom and as cabin leader on a camping trip, he also learned about "student management, organization, and especially patience!" The valuable experience Dicken gained reaffirmed his desire to be a teacher.

The trip was so powerful, Dicken is now thinking about returning to Alaska for a few years after graduating in December 2008, although Central Indiana, Florida, and North Carolina are also options. He hopes to teach elementary school and coach tennis. "Regardless of where I am or what exactly I am doing," he says, "I will always have a love for music, sports, and people." And with the support of Dicken’s family and the people on campus who care about him, Dicken can pursue his goal of becoming a role model and teacher – a goal that was planted a few years ago, when he picked up a tennis racket.