Was there a defining moment during your time at UConn?

The most defining moments of my time here at UConn have been my experiences working in classrooms, both in Mansfield and East Hartford, collaborating with teachers and learning the craft of teaching. My final semester was spent student teaching at E.O. Smith High School in a biology and oceanography classroom, which, although challenging, was rewarding both personally and professionally. These experiences have contextualized the information I’ve learned here in Storrs and allowed me to apply it in practice.

Describe someone you’ve met here who has already impacted your future.

Over the past two years, I’ve been conducting research in the Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development, working with Professor Jonathan Plucker on several different projects in addition to my own thesis. As I pursue a master’s degree in education, I want to translate my interests into deeper involvement in the field with regards to coursework and research.

As a UConn SHARE Grant recipient, what project did you pursue?

With my SHARE award, I researched gifted education through the lens of state accountability systems. I studied these systems for gifted indicators such as identification procedures and services, in an effort to gauge the current climate for gifted education at the state policy level.

Where are you headed after graduation?

I will first travel to Greece to visit significant cultural and archaeological sites and the Greek islands of Crete and Lesbos, which directly relate to my family history. I am already enrolled as a graduate student here, in the Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s program in the Neag School of Education.