Lucky to be a Husky and happy to help

Nancy Edwards ’70 transferred to Bloomsburg State College in 1968 to follow her best friend to campus. She had such a great experience that fifty years later, she and her husband remain committed to Bloomsburg University and its students.

The Elementary Education major and Bucks County native chose a local school for her student teaching experience. She was hired before returning to Bloomsburg for her last semester.  She spent the next five years after graduation teaching third-grade.

“I was very lucky,” said Edwards. “I had a terrific background from Bloom and felt very prepared. I couldn’t have asked for better professors."

However, by the time Edwards took over her classroom, another part of life was already in motion.  She had met her future husband, Ed Edwards ‘73 at Bloom, and when the couple married, Edwards left her teaching position in Bucks County and returned to Bloomsburg – this time as a “townie” rather than a student.  She taught for 30 years in the Bloomsburg Area school district, returning to campus in 1977 for her M.S. Reading Education and a supervisory certificate in 1979. After Edwards retired from public education, she and began a 13-year career in higher-ed as an adjunct faculty member with the BU Department of Exceptionality Programs. She taught graduate courses on reading, elementary, secondary, and special education, supervised student teachers, and ran the BU Reading Conference.

With her geographical and emotional proximity to campus, Edwards volunteered to be part of the BU Alumni Association board of directors in the mid-1980s and served nearly two decades; four of those years as president.  During her tenure, the association added an addition to the Fenstermaker Alumni House, and began hosting alumni and student events. She was named Young Alumna of the Year in 1994, served on the BU Foundation Board of Directors from 2000-2001, and became a life member of the alumni board in 2004.

“We always had challenges,” recalled Edwards. “We were together for a long time and were there through a whole bunch of university presidents with many different ideas.”

Today, as a lifetime member of the BUAA board of directors, Edwards continues to give back to her alma mater by attending alumni events and spreading the word about the university and its students. She spent part of last summer working with students in the JumpStart program and has volunteered regularly with the ASL interpreting program. She and her husband, Ed, also host an alumni reception in St. Augustine, Florida for area alumni in the spring. They have also created a scholarship for BU students studying to be special education teachers.

“I spent so much time teaching in the exceptionalities program, and we’re happy to help,” said Edwards, whose husband is also involved as a member of the university council of trustees. “We both give back to the university because it gave us so much. I’m so glad I chose to come to Bloom.”