1. Mark L. Zupo Tuesday, September 29, 2015
4033 Penhurst Drive
Marietta, GA 30062-6162
678-640-0585 markzupo@gmail.com
PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING
I once asked a grade school teacher, “Why do you want to work as a teacher?” She responded saying,
“Teaching was the most fun job she could have and didn’t think of it as work.” She loved her role as teacher
and went on to described that she loved learning every day as much as she was teaching every day and
she would never stop learning. The teacher closed our conversation saying, “…and you can too!” She gave
me the challenge and license to be a lifelong learner too. With that, I decided that as long as I had the
opportunity to learn I would love my future role too. The greatest challenge is that I can’t decide which is
better, being a career student or being a career educator? I choose both! It is one thing to pursue a career
but a greater opportunity to pursue your passion, experience it, learn it and teach your passion as well. I’ve
had the great pleasure to spend most of my life in aviation as a professional pilot, professional flight
instructor, business educator and mentor. As an educator, my goals are to continue to inspire, challenge
and mentor my students to achieve every level of success they desire as well as present opportunity for
growth and lifelong learning in their passion too. Every student’s success is my success. That said, it
behooves me to engage each student socially, professionally, emotionally and academically. Each student’s
success and future, in life and business, become the focus of my attention and passion for the
measurement of my achievement. I will communicate that I am eager to learn from them as much as to
teach them. I commit to give them the tools for learning now and for use when I am not in their presence.
Among the tools is the virtue of curiosity and objectivity. I will teach them to be skilled observers and open
to opportunity to learn and to teach others what they have learned. One of the finest lessons that I have
learned as a professional aviation educator and business mentor is that my thirst for knowledge has
sustained me in the quest of my passion. As a student pursuing a doctorate currently, (ABD) I am
challenged to find the well-organized methods for learning and time management and continually hone my
skills to make the process efficient, productive, and worthwhile. I will work diligently to teach my student
learners to listen, learn, engage and produce with the same valuable tools and insights that serve me well.
Teaching Experience
I have had the great fortune to have mentored many students in practical experience while being the
example for their potential success and the leader to their passion for learning. I am as comfortable in a
highly technology-based environment as I am with a simple one-on-one open discussion based opportunity.
It has been of great advantage for me to be in a diverse and rapidly-changing environment that demands
perfection and the psychology of simple human interaction within the construct of learning.
Mentoring, Goals and Experience
My desire to learn is as powerful as my desire to teach. My desire to learn is the foundation for the need to
engage, inspire, challenge and motivate learners in my charge. It is my life’s passion to share the
excitement and wonder that education and business, has given me for more than twenty years. I commit
that I will hold myself to the standards of safety, respect, honesty and all that the academics demands as I
continue to pursue advanced education as a Doctor of Education as an educational innovator, skilled
thinker, an accomplished observer and devoted mentor to all students.
Education
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University World-Wide Campus
Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Atlanta GA 2005
Masters of Science in Technical Management / Aviation Business Administration, ERAU Atlanta GA 2009
Doctor of Education, Ed.D., (ABD), Organizational Leadership, Northcentral University, Prescott Valley, AZ
(Expected 2015)
Thank you for this opportunity.