February 06, 2023
Trine University’s Franks School of Education will host Tara Cocanower, Indiana’s
2023 Teacher of the Year, at its annual Excellence in Education Speaker Series on
Feb. 20.
The event will be held from 4:30-5:30 p.m. in Fabiani Theatre inside the Rick L. and Vicki L. James University Center, and will be free and open to the public.
Cocanower is a passionate educator at Bluffton High School, where she teaches world history, Advanced Placement world history and a principles of education course.
Cocanower graduated from Norwell High School before attending the University of Southern Indiana, where she graduated with honors and earned bachelor’s degrees in history and secondary education. She was a member of the women’s golf team and earned all-conference and academic all-American awards.
After college, Cocanower served in Romania in the Peace Corps as an education volunteer from 2008-2010.
She has worked for the Bluffton-Harrison Metropolitan School District since 2014, where she is a coach, club sponsor and leader among her fellow teachers.
Cocanower was honored as the 2022 Bluffton-Harrison Teacher of the Year before being named the 2023 Indiana Teacher of the Year. She believes in creating an equitable and engaging learning environment for all students, supporting students’ social-emotional development, enhancing social studies literacy and empowering students to be world-changers.
Trine University’s first Associate of Science and Master of Science in nursing graduates, along with physician assistant and surgical technology graduates, received a welcome to the healthcare field from the leader of Cameron Health, herself a longtime nurse, during the university’s fall Commencement on Dec. 12.
Trine University’s Thunder Therapy Clinic, which provides pro-bono rehabilitation services to those in the Fort Wayne area with limited means, will offer occupational therapy beginning in January.
Six Trine University civil engineering seniors and two faculty members toured a cement plant and the Newburgh Lock and Dam, learned about the Ohio River Crossing project and traveled to bridge construction sites during a senior trip in November.