Connect with Nicolet Instructors: Meet Diana Rickert, Early Childhood Education

The best way to learn about a career is to connect with someone in the field like our instructors. They’re not only knowledgeable about what they teach, they have real-world experience and passion for their work.

We’re happy to introduce Diana Rickert, Early Childhood Education instructor at Nicolet. She shares what sparked her interest in child care and how that passion turned into a rewarding career plus how the ECE program at Nicolet benefits students.

Why did you choose this career path?

From a very young age, I observed my mom working in the field of Early Childhood Education. Her passion and drive to help children and families was present in everything she did. Unlike other adults, I never saw her dread her job and she often came home and shared stories about how much she learned and laughed that day. She was an avid advocate and for the field of ECE, which inspired me to follow in her footsteps. To pursue my goals, I focused my college studies in education, child psychology, and family social science.

How did your career in Early Childhood Education start?

While studying at the University of Minnesota, I worked directly with children as a nanny and in an early intervention child care classroom. I also worked and volunteered in numerous research labs, studying cognitive development, twin development, and the impact of child support decisions on families. When I graduated, I started working with Head Start programs in a position providing support, supervision, and coaching to early childhood educators. This sparked my interest in teaching adults to help promote quality in the field of Early Childhood Education.

What is the best part of teaching ECE at Nicolet?

Teaching, regardless of the age of the audience, is extremely rewarding because of the opportunity to observe and facilitate human growth and development. For this reason, watching Early Childhood Education students transform right before my eyes from unsure learners to confident professionals is one of the best parts of my job. The ability to connect, one on one, with each student to help them meet their goals is rewarding.

What makes the ECE program at Nicolet College special/valuable/worth it?

The Nicolet College ECE program provides a mix of classroom learning and hands-on experiences. Students learn the “whys and hows” of teaching and are immediately able to practice them in the classroom and lab setting. Then, they have the opportunity to apply skills with children in an early childhood setting during the program’s practicum courses. Our classes are small and there is a lot of opportunity for one-on-one interactions with instructors. Additionally, students who pursue the associate's degree have many options for transferring credits to a bachelor’s degree program for further education.

What jobs or successes have your past students earned/achieved?

Students have frequently gone on to work as lead teachers and directors in group and family child care centers, paraprofessionals in a school district, and home visitors in child/family focused programs. Some students have opened their own child care centers in their communities. Many students continue their bachelor’s degree with the goal of teaching in a school district setting or working in a social service/social work setting.

What advice do you have for others interested in Early Childhood Education?

My best advice is to follow your passion! There is a high demand for quality educators and job placement is 100% in this field. This field gives you many opportunities to have fun (and play) while making a difference in the lives of children and families. There are many different career opportunities and paths that can be pursued in this field. Completing an associate's degree or certificate is often the first step for many students and they discover their professional niche and interests while in the ECE program.