UConn Neag School of Education alumni Jessica Stargardter ’16 (ED), ’17 MA; Gabriel Castro ’14 (ED), ’15 MA; Nicole Holland Kew ’09 (ED), ’10 MA; and Yurah Robidas Emmenegger ’09 (ED), ’09 (CLAS), ’10 MA; have each embarked on remarkable journeys as educators, spanning continents and cultures. From their foundations at UConn to classrooms across the world, their careers highlight the transformative power of teaching beyond borders.

“Time after time, our UConn participants have told me that studying and teaching abroad has been one of the most profound experiences of their lives,” says Doug Kaufman, the Neag School’s director of global education and an associate professor of curriculum and instruction. “I see it, too. Moving away from familiar and comfortable contexts has taught them how to recognize the diverse and powerful gifts that their students at home bring into the classroom.

“Working abroad develops cultural awareness, empathy, humility, and an expanded sense of possibility when working with students. Our teachers learn how to learn from their students and advocate for them all.”

Stargardter’s passion for gifted education led her from Connecticut to Panama, Singapore, and Finland, shaping her global perspective. She says her experiences reinforce her belief in education as a universal force for change, transcending cultural and linguistic differences.

Working abroad develops cultural awareness, empathy, humility, and an expanded sense of possibility when working with students. Our teachers learn how to learn from their students and advocate for them all. — Doug Kaufman, Neag School's director of global education

Castro’s path to teaching went from Puerto Rico to Colombia, Costa Rica, and Taiwan, and he has embraced each opportunity with curiosity and openness. His teaching philosophy is rooted in adaptation and connection, ensuring meaningful relationships with students regardless of geography. As he prepares for fatherhood, he looks forward to the next chapter of his journey.

For Kew, London became home. A study abroad trip led to a life-changing move across the Atlantic, where she has spent over a decade teaching and raising a family. Balancing work and her personal life, she cherishes her role as an educator in a diverse, evolving community.

Emmenegger’s love for language and culture brought her from Connecticut to France, Portugal, and Switzerland. Teaching French and German in international schools, she exemplifies resilience and adaptability, proving that a commitment to education can create opportunities in unexpected places.

Together, their stories illustrate the boundless impact of teaching, and the unique paths educators take to inspire students worldwide.

Reconnecting with Family Roots

Education wasn’t Castro’s first choice — he entered UConn as a psychology major, uncertain of his career path. However, a mentorship role in a First-Year Experience course changed everything. Standing before a classroom, guiding new college students, he realized teaching was what he was meant to do.

After graduating from the Neag School, he took his first teaching position in Puerto Rico, reconnecting with his roots. His mother had spent much of her childhood moving between Puerto Rico and Connecticut, and teaching at a K-12 school immersed him in a close-knit community.

Three years in Puerto Rico deepened his love for international teaching and inspired him to explore the other half of his heritage. His father had emigrated from Colombia, and Castro wanted to experience the country firsthand. Moving to Colombia, he found a vibrant culture, rich with music festivals, soccer, and breathtaking landscapes. It was there he met his wife, Kismeth, a fellow international teacher from New York. He says their shared passion for education and adventure brought them together.

They had intended to take a sabbatical year traveling through South America, but the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped their plans. With borders closing, they found temporary teaching positions in Costa Rica. Castro stepped in as a last-minute math teacher, navigating virtual classes, hybrid schedules, and masked interactions. Despite the challenges, Costa Rica was a paradise.

My years of adapting to different educational environments had prepared me well. — Gabriel Castro ’14 (ED), ’15 MA

“With tourism at a standstill, nature thrived,” he says. “Sloths and monkeys roamed undisturbed, and sunsets painted the sky in hues of gold and crimson.”

As the world reopened, they faced their next big decision. Asia had always intrigued them, and Taiwan offered everything they wanted — an excellent school, a safe environment, and a strong culture of hiking, cycling, and running.

Moving to Taiwan was a leap of faith but quickly felt like home. While the language barrier existed outside the classroom, Castro found his ability to connect with students transcended words.

“My years of adapting to different educational environments had prepared me well,” he says.

From Connecticut to Puerto Rico, Colombia, Costa Rica, and now Taiwan, every step of his journey has been driven by curiosity, a love for teaching, and an openness to change. His classroom now extends beyond four walls, spanning countries, cultures, and languages, and he is preparing for an exciting new personal chapter: fatherhood.

“I have an 11-month-old puppy, so I feel like I’ve been practicing in a way,” he says. “It’s a steep learning curve! But I’m excited to see how we can continue traveling with a baby and incorporating her into our adventures.”

Finding Love While Abroad

Fourteen years into her teaching career — first in Connecticut and then in London — Kew still finds joy in watching her students grow.

“It’s the children, really,” she says. “Seeing them progress, mature, but still retain that spark of who they are — it’s special.”

Having spent 10 years at the same London school, she has become deeply embedded in the community. She gets to know families, watches siblings pass through her classroom, and shares their triumphs and struggles.

“Teaching wasn’t just a job; it was a life woven into the fabric of so many others,” she says.

Her path to teaching began in high school when she worked at an after-school program at her former elementary school in Connecticut. Later, as a camp director at a nature center, she solidified her love for mentoring. Her mother had always dreamed of being a teacher but never pursued it.

Teaching wasn’t just a job; it was a life woven into the fabric of so many others. — Nicole Holland Kew ’09 (ED), ’10 MA

“Maybe in a way, I was fulfilling that dream for both of us,” Kew says.

A single decision changed her trajectory. Studying abroad in London while at the Neag School was supposed to be an adventure — an opportunity to explore a city she had loved since a family trip at 13. She hadn’t expected to meet her future husband just weeks into the program.

They met in a pub, a chance encounter that turned into a long-distance relationship. After navigating time zones and transatlantic flights, they decided to marry. With her husband’s career established in London and the UK actively recruiting teachers, it made sense for Kew to move.

Adjusting to teaching in England came with challenges. In Connecticut, Kew had more autonomy in her teaching, while curriculum and behavior management were standardized in London. Leadership opportunities came more readily, and she briefly considered administration but loved being in the classroom too much.

Balancing work and family was another challenge. With four children — two daughters, 6 and 4, and toddler twins — her hands are full.

“Honestly,” she says, “going to work feels like a break compared to being home!”

London has become home in ways she never expected. During the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, she and her husband considered moving to the U.S. to be closer to her family, but something always held them back. London has given her a life she cherishes, a career she loves, a community she belongs to, and — most importantly — a family she has built from the ground up.

Focused on All Things French

Emmenegger, who taught for 15 years in Connecticut and now teaches in France, first became interested in education while teaching piano and tutoring in high school. With a mother who was also a teacher, it felt natural.

“It just made sense that I would become a teacher,” she says.

Growing up in Bristol and Plainville, Emmenegger developed a love for French through her mother, who had lived in Switzerland and Portugal.

“She sang to us in French as kids,” Emmenegger says. “In high school, I jumped at the chance to study it.”

A summer program in France in 2007 and the Neag School’s study abroad program in London during her master’s year of the Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s teacher education program deepened her passion for language and curriculum planning.

My marriage, career, and worldview have all been shaped by this journey. While I still hope for a French teaching position, I know I am exactly where I am meant to be. — Yurah Robidas Emmenegger ’09 (ED), ’09 (CLAS), ’10 MA

After graduating, she taught French in Ellington, for three years but longed to live in France. She joined the French government’s teaching assistant program and was placed in Monté, where she lived with international assistants and did a weekly language exchange with another teacher. She spoke in English for half an hour for the language exchange to help the other teacher improve his English communication skills. Then, the other half specifically worked on improving her grammar.

Since she couldn’t teach French in France, Emmenegger explored other opportunities. Her mother’s past in Portugal led her there for Christmas, where she fell in love with the country and found a teaching job. But her journey took an unexpected turn — she met her future husband in Switzerland. When the world shut down in 2020, they spent months apart. Determined to be together, they married in May 2021, and, by July, she had moved to Switzerland.

Finding a teaching job there was challenging. She took a role at a private school, but it wasn’t the right fit.

She joined the International School of Basel (ISB), but no French positions were available. Expanding her search, she took a six-month role at a Swiss public school, but left after half a year.

ISB welcomed her back with an unexpected offer: teaching beginner German. Having learned German just two years earlier through Duolingo and night classes, she thought the interview offer was a joke. But ISB encouraged her. She took the leap and found herself in a supportive, engaging environment. ISB promised her priority for the next French opening, but no one wanted to leave — a testament to the school’s quality.

Despite career uncertainties, Emmenegger and her husband were building a life together. He was teaching while finishing his studies, and they navigated the challenges of being an international couple.

“You have to be open to moving,” she says. “Each time I relocated, I rebuilt my support system, making me appreciate my deep connections back home even more.”

She says her Neag School education instilled adaptability, an open-minded approach to curricula, and a hands-on teaching philosophy. These lessons helped her navigate unfamiliar school systems and cultural differences with confidence.

For those who love studying abroad, Emmenegger encourages taking the next step and teaching internationally, as she has no regrets.

“My marriage, career, and worldview have all been shaped by this journey,” she says. “And while I still hope for a French teaching position, I know I am exactly where I am meant to be.”

From UConn to Global Classrooms

Stargardter’s journey as an educator has been extraordinary, spanning continents and shaping her perspective on the transformative power of teaching. After graduating from the Neag School, she began her career in Connecticut, teaching in Greenwich Public Schools before moving to Norwalk. There, she discovered her passion for gifted and talented education, an interest sparked during her time at UConn, where she worked at the Renzulli Center for Creativity, Gifted Education, and Talent Development.

“I started filing papers at first, but then I received a grant to conduct research,” she says, which ignited a lifelong commitment to student potential.

Stargardter’s dedication led her to teach abroad at the International School of Panama.

“It was my first experience in a traditional classroom after working across grade levels,” she says. “I felt like a first-year teacher again, but it taught me so much about myself and the world.”

She later moved to Singapore, where she found a more manageable cultural transition.

“I was in a classroom with students from all over the world, each bringing something unique,” she says. “It was challenging but incredibly rewarding.”

Teaching is more than just a profession. It’s a way to change lives, one student at a time, no matter where I teach. — Jessica Stargardter ’16 (ED), ’17 MA

Teaching abroad reinforced her belief in education’s universal impact, transcending borders and backgrounds. Reflecting on what initially drew her to teaching, Stargardter credits her third-grade teacher, Mr. Simeone.

“He gamified everything,” she says. “Learning was fun and engaging. I remember thinking I wanted to do the same for my students.”

Her teaching journey also included a year in Finland as a Fulbright Scholar, during which time she researched teacher evaluations in the country’s globally recognized education system. Initially considering a career in academia, she realized how much she missed teaching, leading her back to the classroom and eventually to her move to Panama.

Stargardter’s foundation for success was built at the Neag School, where extensive classroom experiences prepared her for any teaching environment.

“Neag gave me the tools to step into my first classroom ready to succeed,” she says, crediting the program’s diverse placements for shaping her adaptable teaching philosophy.

During her master’s year, Stargardter interned in London through one of the Neag School’s study abroad programs, working at a school for adolescents with mental health challenges. She says this experience reshaped her understanding of education, teaching her that learning extends beyond traditional classrooms.

Her journey abroad has reinforced her belief in cross-cultural education’s power to broaden perspectives.

“Teaching is more than just a profession,” she says. “It’s a way to change lives, one student at a time, no matter where I teach.”

To learn more about the Neag School’s teacher education programs, visit teachered.education.uconn.edu.