Austin Moffatt
April 30, 2020
This is a unique success story and one that hits very close to home because it is the story of one of our very own Vincennes University Adult Education staff members! Austin Moffatt has faced various challenges over the years both in and out of school. One incident occurred when he was 12 years old; something bad happened to him while he was at school. His mom pulled him out because of it and began homeschooling him shortly thereafter. While homeschooling worked for a while, he eventually lost interest because of what had happened.
His education narrative could have stopped there, but it continued about 10 years later when he decided that he wanted to do something more with his life. The motivation came after a car accident left him feeling very lucky to be alive. He was working part-time construction, but that line of work was no longer possible after the wreck. That may have been the end of his construction career, but it was the beginning of a new career path that was about to unfold right before his eyes.
In December of 2017, he started taking HSE classes in Bedford with Instructor Travis Malone. Austin was a dedicated student from the get-go and was able to take the TASC (HSE) test in March of 2018, just three months after he began the classes. Austin passed every subject on his first try and said, “It was all due to a great teacher and hard work.”
There were a lot of memorable moments while progressing through the program, but Austin said that hands down the best moment was when he received his diploma. He explained, “The feeling of having that burden gone was great. Having my HSE means everything to me. It means that I can move forward and better both my life and my future. So many new opportunities have opened up.”
One opportunity that opened up for Austin was completely unexpected and couldn’t have come at a better time in his life. He was still coming to class and studying even after he earned his HSE. When Austin began helping other students with their work, Travis took note and worked with VU’s AE Director to offer him a teacher’s aide/tutoring position a couple weeks later.
Austin was excited to accept the position and shared that the role “has really helped me develop skills and has given me future possibilities that I never had before.” He is gaining valuable experience while also growing in his passion for teaching.
“My favorite part about teaching is being able to help others who are in the same position I was in a couple years ago. It’s always great to see former students succeeding after they have gone through our program.”
Travis speaks very highly of Austin saying, “He is easily one of the most engaged, enthusiastic, motivated, and helpful teachers I’ve ever worked with and observed. He really knows the curriculum and how to teach it effectively. He really cares about helping students succeed and goes the extra distance to help the class. I could never have this kind of success without him.”
Before Austin started taking classes a couple years ago, he claims he didn’t have any future goals or plans. Not anymore! He says, “These classes have made me a better person all around. When I first started, I didn’t know how to multiply or divide. Now I am able to teach others and go to college.” And that is exactly what he is going to do! He plans to attend Ivy Tech this August to continue his education and obtain his teaching degree.
When asked what advice he would give others who want to get their HSE, he said, “I tell everyone to just stick with it no matter how hard it may seem. The hard work and dedication will pay off. If I can do it, you can do it.”
We are grateful to have Austin on our team and are glad he has found a career that he is truly passionate about. He went from being one of our students to being one of our most valuable teachers/tutors. Thanks for your hard work and dedication to making our program the best it can be, Austin!