Why did you choose this degree -- and UNI?
I chose elementary education because I have always wanted to make an impact and love working with children every single day. I love the opportunity to get to know students and help them grow as a person! I chose UNI because of their AMAZING teacher prep program. It is well known that UNI is one of the best teacher prep programs around! Ever since the beginning, I have been able to be in the classroom and get experiences I couldn't get anywhere else.

What kind of path did you take to achieve your degree?
I have known that I wanted to be a teacher since first grade, and have pursued it ever since!

Describe your internship/field experience and how it has prepared you for your career.
I think the best experience I had during my time at UNI was the Professional Development School (PDS) program. It gave me the opportunity to grow closer and teach with other students, be in the classroom every single day, and I got to work with some of the best professors at the university.

What does completing your degree mean to you?
Completing my degree allows me to finally accomplish my dreams of becoming a teacher!

What challenges did you face as you worked toward this degree – and how did you overcome them?
Some challenges that I faced were just the stress of trying to maintain good standing in classes, working and trying to stay active on campus and make new friendships. I think the friends and staff that I became close with definitely helped me to overcome these challenges.

How did UNI help you achieve your goals?
UNI has helped to prepare me for my future as an educator by providing me with lots of classroom experiences and social networking opportunities that have helped me get the job I have now.

We often say UNI is student focused; a place where professors care--and teach; a place where learning happens in and out of the classroom;  and is perfectly sized. Do you have an example or experience of how one or more of these statements rings true for you?
Yes! I can agree that UNI is perfectly sized, it is just big enough that you don't feel like you are still in high school, but small enough where you still see people from my classes or your friends on campus all the time. I would also say that the UNI College of Education has amazing professors that truly care! I have stayed close with some of my professors even after having them for class and they still reach out to me.

What’s your best memory of your time at UNI?
My favorite memory from my time at UNI would be our last day of our PDS block. We had such a blast with our professors and got Chick-fil-a to cater a meal for us! It was an amazing day to look back on all the work that we had done together that semester!

What advice would you give to students considering UNI?
Say YES! It is such a great community and campus. You will get opportunities like no other at UNI and truly have an amazing college experience.

What's next? 
I will be teaching sixth grade at Aldrich Elementary in Cedar Falls after graduation!