Joani Bedore: A Successful SLU Alumnus

By Kristine Kim

Behind every strong student is a strong teacher. A teacher is simply described as an individual whose role is to provide schooling, facilitate education, form creativity, and spark intellect within the classroom. Teaching is not an easy task to do and it is certainly not a walk in the park job. A good teacher is someone who has a sense of purpose, goal, and expectation within the classroom and desire to invest their time with their students. Dr. Joani Bedore of George Mason University is the pure epitome of that example. She is more than just a mere educator; she is a great leader, mentor, motivator, and friend.
Dr. Bedore was raised in a small town in Steubenville Ohio with her ten siblings; seven brothers and three sisters. She emphasized how important family was to her and how intimate their relationships were with one another. Dr. Bedore learned to value education through her tight-knit family which ultimately shaped and molded her into the person that she is today. “I grew up in a family where education was highly valued and they believed that being a teacher would be the best thing that someone can do for society.” Skipping her first year of school at St. Leo College in Florida, she graduated the school with a bachelor’s degree in both English and Physical Education in 1979 and carried the prestigious academic title as SLU’s valedictorian. She also received her Master's Degree in Publications Design from The University of Baltimore in 1985 and then received her Doctorate in Communication from the University of Oklahoma in 1994.
Dr. Bedore has taught at junior high and high schools and is now a Communication professor at George Mason currently teaching Interpersonal, Small Group, Workplace, Gender Communication, and Public Speaking courses. “I grew up with a family of teachers. There was never really anything that I wanted to do but to teach. I played teacher as a kid and all my life that has been my career passion. I’ve done a lot of jobs in my life- I’ve sold cars, worked in fisheries, I’ve been a newspaper reporter, a swimming instructor, a short order cook, and all kinds of things, but I always went back to teaching because it was what I really love.” During the six short years that she has been teaching at George Mason University, she has already received various awards. In 2008, she was awarded the Mason Teaching Excellence Award in 2008 which commended her for an outstanding performance as a professor and her commitment and dedication to her students and to the University as well.
Dr. Bedore does more than just teaching. She is actively involved in a program on campus called the “Safe Zone”. Safe Zone aims to create a welcoming and inclusive campus environment to strengthen the community and to encourage networking among the faculty, staff, and students toward a goal of supporting the well-being of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, & Questioning Resources (LGBTQ) students. It is an inclusive environment where people of all sexual orientations and gender identities can successfully live, love, learn, and work together. Dr. Bedore is serving as a mentor for LGBTQ students and helps them work through life’s issues and deal with problems that they experience. Dr. Bedore’s compassionate heart and down to earth personality that attracts students to seek guidance and direction from her. “The number one reason for suicide among young students is confusion of gender identity and I know that confusion about gender identity can really tear people so I am all about building them up. I would much rather have students feel safe, comfortable, and be able to work through the issues in a safe place, that is why I am part of this program.”
What makes Dr. Bedore stand out from other professors at George Mason is her energetic spirit and genuine character. She has great passion and enthusiasm for what she does and is driven to push her students to be the best they can be. One advice that Dr. Bedore encourages her students to do is to never give up. She encourages others around her to always persevere and pursue their dreams. “I am really passionate about helping people find their way to be their very best. Teaching for me is a healing role. I am not a nurse or a doctor but when people do come to me, I have only one shot at them and if I can help them move in a more positive direction, I feel a job well done.” Dr. Bedore pushes her students to reach their fullest potential and teaches them to not only see the best in themselves, but to also see the best in others. She teaches students to be fiercely positive and encourages them to live each day like it’s their last. She uses what she learned from her own personal life experiences to inspire and motivate her students. “If you think positive thoughts, you’re going to resonate and find other positive people. If you think negative thoughts, you’re going to get more of them...it’s an issue that I had to go through myself. I was on the wrong side of that issue and life was horrible…I had to make a complete sea change and start thinking positive thoughts in order to create a different life for myself… You can attract a better quality of life just by simply changing the way you think.”
During her leisure, Dr. Bedore loves to spend quality time with her relatives and be actively involved in her book club. She also loves going on relaxing fishing trips with her close friends and family and playing a good game of poker. Dr. Bedore stated, “I love my family, their awesome and we are all really close, their just so great. It’s so much fun being part of a big family.”
Dr. Bedore’s enthusiasm and ambitious spirit resonates throughout the campus halls and her infectious smile and laughter quickly catches on to others who encounter her. She works hard to educate her students about her course lectures but most of all, she educates them about life. She longs to build confidence in every student and encourages them to persevere in all that they do. Dr. Bedore is highly admired by all of Mason’s community not just because of her hard work and commitment, but because of her genuine character and a heart for others. She is a pure example of a teacher with a purpose and goal which ultimately makes her stand out from all the rest.