Providing Hope for Education: Hartwell University
A guest post by Matthew Flippen
President | Hartwell University
In 2021, after prayer, research, and development, Matthew Flippen and a team of expert educators launched Hartwell University, an affordable, online private Christian University. It's designed specifically to empower the 1.2 million non-certified staff already working in our school systems to become the solution to critical staffing shortages. This program is taught exclusively by experienced K-12 educators who are experts in their subjects.
Hartwell’s courses are taught in eight (8) week terms and offered five (5) times per year, with a majority of their students qualifying for scholarships.
Hartwell is equipping, encouraging, and preparing a growing number of future educators.
What will it take to see every child taught by a competent, compassionate educator trained from a biblical worldview? This question led to the launch of Hartwell University which educates future educators exclusively. Hartwell is the only institution that provides an accessible teaching degree for K-12 professionals (teachers’ aides) who need a path to make a deeper impact in the lives of children.
In 2019, we began to interview hundreds of leaders of public K-12 school systems, dozens of administrators in higher education and to survey almost 2,000 paraprofessionals. We discovered that nationally, there was a 250,000+ teacher shortage, hurting our least-resourced communities the most. We also learned that over 1.2 million paraprofessionals served in these same schools. What if they could be the solution to the teacher shortage?
Our survey revealed an incredible opportunity. Over 95% of these paraprofessionals wanted to earn their teaching degrees and certifications. We asked them why they wanted to teach—over 85% shared their goal was to make a greater impact on children.
So, what were the barriers keeping them from their dream? Most of these dedicated people were single parents, and time and money were their biggest barriers. Some universities shy away from enrolling low-income single parents. However, we believed that these were the ideal candidates to address the teacher shortage by becoming competent educators who already had the compassion and grit to serve.
With a relentless focus on these potential candidates, we launched Hartwell University and an online undergraduate teaching degree program designed for the unique needs of paraprofessionals. In just 20 months, we grew enrollment to 600 students who currently worked as paraprofessionals in K-12 schools. We’ll exceed 2,000 enrolled students within the next 12 months as we build relationships with school systems that need great teachers.
Hartwell students like Abby, who shares her story below, are the ones who will lead education transformation.
“At 23, I stopped going to school. I began to heal slowly. I began praying and reading His Word which opened doors for me. I put God at the center of my life.
I now have the privilege and honor to work with special needs children, which is exactly where I belong. This is how I was led to Hartwell University—to follow my dreams in becoming the teacher I have wanted to be for so long. I now have the best dad...I call Him God! He is more than enough!
My story has taught me to become a more compassionate and loving teacher who always puts my children first. I want to teach all my children in and out of the classroom that they are worthy, valued, and loved and to let their light shine as children of God!”
