Meet Dr. Michael P. Mahan
Meet Dr. Michael P. Mahan, professor of education and health science and former dean of the School of Education.
Mahan attended Ball State University where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology with a Teacher Certification, his Master of Arts in Student Personnel Administration, and his Doctor of Education in Science Education. Mahan decided that he liked the situation at Gordon after looking at our School of Education, and he began working here in 2011. Currently, he teaches full-time in the areas of elementary science education and health and wellness. During his courses, he hopes that his enthusiasm for teaching and learning rubs off on students and that they will be excited for their future careers.
According to Mahan, being a Highlander means being part of something special. He says that teachers make the greatest impact on society because they touch everyone’s lives, so he thinks it is “awesome” that he can help them develop and become their best. His proudest moments at Gordon include shaking hands with students as they cross the stage at graduation. However, he particularly enjoyed seeing the first graduates in the secondary and middle grades education programs that he helped establish. While at Gordon, Mahan says he has also gained an appreciation of what students must do to be successful. In the education programs, many students have children, and many students must work to attend college. Despite the challenges they face, Mahan explains that they all put in tremendous effort to achieve their dreams.
Mahan was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, “a long time ago,” but he currently lives on Skidaway Island in Savannah, Georgia. When he was younger, he says that he wanted to be a priest. He explains that, as a Catholic schoolboy, most of his peers wanted to be priests or college graduates of some type. Now, in his free time, he enjoys coin collecting and reading novels.