“I still remember when I got my first teaching position. The principal would hand deliver the paychecks personally at the school. On the first day I was paid he came up to me and handed me the envelope. I wasn’t sure what it was. When I opened it, I remember thinking, ‘Wow! I can’t believe I get paid to do this!’ I feel like God made me for this.”
These are the words of Adel Aiken, reminiscing on her first moments as a teacher. Aiken has been a professor at Geneva College for 37 years and has just retired this academic year. Aiken remarks that this feeling of gratefulness and calling to teaching she felt in her very first week of teaching has remained with her for her over 40 years in education. Her legacy in the education department, impact on students and colleagues, and impact on our community will be felt for generations to come.
“Coming to Geneva was very much a God thing. I had my master’s degree and read in the newspaper about someone I graduated with who just completed a doctorate at Pitt. I met up with her at Geneva to talk about the program and decided I wanted to begin working on my doctorate. Only a day later I got a call from the Chair of the Education Department saying they needed help teaching night classes and summer school. I started that next year and have been here ever since it was truly a gift from God.”
Throughout the years Aiken has taught a variety of courses, but her specialty is in reading, language, and literacy. Content literacy, Aiken explained, has to do with all content areas, it is about teaching children how to read, understand, and apply what they have learned, whatever content area that might be in.
One constant in each of her courses has been memorizing Psalm 19:1-14.
“The first verse talks about learning visually, or with a visual representation. We need can’t just teach through words; we need interaction. The last verse touches on words, which we do use as teachers. If we have been called by God to teach, our words, thoughts, and hearts must be in line with what is pleasing to him. Over the years I constantly get messages from students from years back when that verse comes up in their lives.”
In each course, Biblical truth is woven in and is the basis for a Geneva education. This verse, the foundation of Aiken’s courses, is one example of what faith-life integration looks like in the classroom.
A major accomplishment Aiken achieved in her career was outfitting the education department’s classroom. The department had talked for years about having a laboratory classroom that serves the same purpose as science labs do; interactive, hands-on learning.
“I spent the entire summer that year, pretty much every day, making that space a model elementary classroom. That was 2015, it has gotten almost 10 years of use now!”
Aiken has loved teaching from a very young age. In first grade, she recalls her teacher who made her love school.
“I wanted to be her. For me, that carried through my entire life.”
Although Aiken’s time as a formal teacher is ending, her passion for teaching is not.
“I began teaching in ’75 and have taught every year since. I don’t plan on stopping. I am not exactly sure who or what, but I know I will be teaching my grandchildren.”
With eight grandchildren, Aiken regularly has the opportunity to teach. Earlier this year when New Brighton released the underground railroad discovery, Aiken took five of her grandchildren over, looked at the tunnel, and taught them about its historical significance.
While there are many stories, experiences, and words of wisdom that come with 37 years of service and teaching, Aiken wanted to leave Geneva with these words.
“1 Peter 4:11 says that if anyone should serve, they should serve with the strength God provides so that God is praised. If we serve in our own strength, whether that is teaching or building bridges, we are going to fail and be weak. If we serve with the strength God provides, he is praised even if we make mistakes or illness follows. It becomes something uplifting, lasting, and praiseworthy.”
Dr. Aiken will be missed by many but leaves a legacy with her students, colleagues, department, and Geneva College that will not soon be forgotten. God has used her as she has served faithfully in her roles here, and the Geneva community waits expectantly to see how she will continue to serve God and neighbor in the next season.
To honor Dr. Aiken’s distinguished career and years of service to the College, she has been given the status of emeritus faculty.
Learn more about Geneva College.
Have questions? Call us at 724-847-6505.
© Geneva College | All rights reserved
Online Course Login
myGeneva Student Portal