I first heard about the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) while I was attending Gaithersburg High School, just from my family and friends who were already familiar with the campus. But it wasn’t until after beginning my higher education studies at Montgomery College (MC), that I became more intrigued about the fact that there was a college campus near home where I could complete my bachelor's degree in my desired field of Elementary Education/Special Education. Being able to earn my degree closer to home meant that I would save a lot of time and money by not having to travel to Towson University’s main campus, or rent an apartment.
Before coming to USG, I had explored the campus through events like open house and attended information sessions hosted by Towson University’s Elementary Education/Special Education program at USG. I quickly fell in love with the campus, and the transfer-only student population really appealed to me.
Once I decided that USG was the right choice for my final two years of undergrad, I began looking for a school that offered Elementary Education/Special Education and was thrilled to find that Towson University offered the program at USG. Not only did the program have shining reviews, but it was evident that this program would set me on a path to become a teacher in the Montgomery County Public Schools system.
After meeting with Professor Jennifer Shnur, the advisor for the Elementary Education/Special Education through Towson University, I was able to seamlessly connect my classes from Montgomery College into my program at USG. Professor Shnur and other advisors on the USG campus were very helpful and made sure I was on track to graduate and then transfer.
Throughout my senior year I have been doing teaching internships in the public schools and I have worked as a USG Student Ambassador. Through my internships with Montgomery County Public Schools, I have had a rotation in general education for 5th grade at Diamond Elementary, and a rotation in Special Education for 2nd grade at Twinbrook Elementary. During each of these internships I have learned how to collect data about students, manage behavioral problems, implement and write lesson plans and manage a classroom. In my role as a student ambassador we talk to the community, including prospective students, to explain the numerous benefits there are to attending programs at USG. In addition, we give tours, sit in on different meetings to provide feedback on how to improve the student experience at USG, and support and host events happening on campus. Being a student ambassador has been a great experience that has helped me grow professionally and connect with other students who are from the different universities at USG.
I will graduate from my program in May 2022, and I can’t wait to see what is next for me as a future teacher. I ultimately hope to become an elementary school math teacher, but I'm also open to seeing where life takes me with my many interests.