Alum Andrea Wells wants to help create great teachers who revitalize the region

Every time that Morehead State Instructor Andrea Wells (Class of 2017, 2020) finds herself in front of college students she is about to teach, she sees a mission that surpasses equipping them with knowledge and skills to succeed in their field.

"You see education as an opportunity to mold and make people into better human beings and virtuous human beings," Wells said. "I aim to make virtuous, wise adults. That's what all of education is really about...and, by extension, I'm helping to create a better world."

As an instructor working in the College of Education and the Department of English & Modern Languages, Wells takes tremendous pride in making an impact in the classroom and helping prospective teachers at MSU do the same.

A native of Paintsville, her father, Dan Lyons, a now-retired local radio host, and her mother Mary Lyons, a retired paraprofessional supporting students with special needs, instilled in her and her siblings the importance of higher education and a strong emphasis on faith. After speaking at her local church, she began speaking at church events at age 14 and became a youth pastor at Boonscamp Church of God at age 18.

"I wasn't intimidated to speak to anyone, regardless of my age, because I was sharing timeless truths,” Wells said. “Besides, I have always been an old soul. "

Wells' path from speaking to crowds to teaching classrooms started when she attended Big Sandy Community & Technical College and earned an associate degree before transferring to Morehead State. She pursued a Bachelor of University Studies due to her interest in a broad, liberal arts-style education and exploring a variety of disciplines, including literature, government, political philosophy, educational philosophy, and pedagogy.

"That interdisciplinary study gave me a wide intellectual foundation and introduced me to interests that continue to shape my teaching and scholarship today," she said.

After earning her Bachelor of University Studies in 2016, she attended Ashland University with plans to earn a Master of Arts in American History and Government. Still, she was steered toward education after being offered a job teaching high school English and realizing it would give her more time to be home with her daughter, Abigail Rhodes. She decided to enroll in the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program, following in the footsteps of her brother Adam Lyons (Class of 2006), who completed the program and spoke highly of the preparation it gave him.

"The MAT bootcamp and the one-on-one faculty mentorship I received during my first year in the classroom were invaluable," Wells said. "I entered teaching with practical tools, strong guidance, and confidence. I credit MSU with preparing me thoroughly for the realities of the classroom."

Her first teaching job at Powell County High School solidified her love of teaching and sparked her passion for literacy and curriculum after seeing significant reading challenges among students. Wells thought the best way to help solve this problem was to teach at the college level.

“Through my earlier teaching experiences, I came to realize that I was most drawn to working with older students,” she said. “It eventually became clear to me that there are few contributions more meaningful than preparing the teachers who will go on to shape the next generation.”

Dr. Timothy Simpson (Class of 1995), professor and chair of MSU's Department of Foundational & Graduate Studies in Education, offered Wells an opportunity to teach at MSU as an adjunct professor. Wells, who previously took Simpson's Foundations of Education course (EDF 207) ("He was the hardest teacher I ever had," she said), later completed her undergraduate study on classical education with him as her mentor. In 2020, her continued contact with Simpson helped Wells get her first college teaching job when she was offered a job at MSU as an adjunct professor..

In 2025, the two went from colleagues to co-authors, as Wells and Simpson contributed a chapter to a newly published scholarly volume by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Their work explores the philosophical foundations of E.D. Hirsch Jr.'s theory of core knowledge by drawing on the work of philosopher Michael Polanyi. The chapter, titled "Unexpected Affinities Between Polanyi and Hirsch: Tacit Knowing and Cultural Literacy," appears in "The Comprehensive Legacy of Michael Polanyi: Dwelling In and Breaking Out."

Getting to co-author with Simpson wasn't Wells' only full-circle moment. She now regularly teaches EDF 207 herself. With intellectual curiosity, elevated expectations, youthful enthusiasm, and a sense of humor, she helps students navigate complex and essential works of literature that have helped shape the education profession.

“I like to present my students with challenging material — texts and ideas that may initially feel beyond their grasp — because the struggle to understand is often where the most meaningful learning occurs,” she said. “There is something remarkable about watching students wrestle with ideas that are deep, subtle, and not immediately obvious — ideas that require patience, careful thought, and sustained attention. When a student begins to see what was previously hidden, those moments remind me exactly why I am here.”

"Working alongside Andrea has been a privilege. She brings careful reasoning, conceptual precision, and genuine educational concern to every project," Simpson said. "Andrea teaches in a way that reminds us why the study of great books still matters. She approaches texts with reverence and rigor, and she invites her students to do the same — forming not only sharper thinkers, but more thoughtful human beings."

This spring, Wells is set to become a three-time MSU graduate as she earns her Doctor in Education (Ed.D.), with Simpson serving on her doctoral committee. She said she wants to become a full professor, continue publishing more work, conduct further research on the impact that different curricula have on student learning, and do her part to improve literacy rates by sending teachers who are equipped, passionate, and prepared to make a difference.

“Children spend their formative years in school,” Wells said. “For that reason, I take seriously the responsibility of preparing my teacher candidates to become not only skilled educators and experts in their discipline, but also the kind of people worthy of their students’ trust and emulation.”

Andrea Wells can be reached at an.wells@moreheadstate.edu or 606-783-2601.

To learn more about the MSU's Volgenau College of Education and its programs, please contact Dean of the Volgenau College of Education Dr. Nicola Mason at nfmason@moreheadstate.edu or call 606-783-2162.