Why did you choose UNI? 

I chose UNI because it is a great school for teachers, and I loved the campus on my college visit! When I went on my college visit, I had a strong feeling that UNI was where I was supposed to be.

What have you enjoyed the most about attending UNI? 

I love the environment, people, and professors. I had great classmates and professors who pushed me to become a better person and strive to be a great educator. I also loved the environment. The campus was always so clean and friendly. I felt comfortable walking around campus and meeting new people.

How did you become interested in your major at UNI? 

I started as a Physical Education major, and I loved my professors and the content they taught. At first, I was not sure what I wanted to major in, but I am grateful that I chose Physical Education and stuck with it.

How have you been involved outside of the classroom - could you tell us a little bit about this/these experience(s)? 

I was involved in our PE Club at UNI. This was a fun way to spend time with my classmates and learn more about Physical Education, besides the classroom. The PE Club would host speakers to discuss different topics, and we would play games together.

To graduate through the Teacher Program, there were so many hours you had to complete in a school. Each level was beneficial, and I loved all my placements. It was fun to see the different schools and teachers in and around Cedar Falls. During my last semester was student teaching. I student taught back in my hometown at IKM-Manning. It was fun to be back at my old school, teaching with and learning from the teachers who used to be my teachers.

What professors have been most influential through your time here at UNI?

Dr. Hall was one of my favorite professors. From the beginning, he always pushed me to try something new and have fun with what I was learning. I truly learned a lot from Dr. Hall! Dr. Hurley was another influential professor. She also pushed me to try harder and excel in teaching. Both of these professors helped me to get more involved in the Physical Education program, and I am so grateful for the opportunities they gave me! Besides Dr. Hall and Dr. Hurley, I had amazing professors in every class! Dr. Burt, Dr. Bourbeau, and Dr. Fontana all helped me to be the educator I am today! I am blessed to have the professors I had!

What are your post-graduation plans? 

I am the TK-6th grade Physical Education teacher at Kuemper Catholic in Carroll, IA. I started teaching at Kuemper in January, right after graduating.

How has UNI/your major helped prepare you for these plans? 

UNI has helped me prepare to be a Physical Educator by giving me the right classes and opportunities to be involved in schools early on. Within the first year or two of college, we began observing teachers and being in schools with students. This helped me to know that education is where I wanted to be. I feel like all my courses and the opportunities these courses gave me greatly prepared me to be a full-time teacher. Student teaching was also a great experience and helped me know what age level I liked and what teaching a full day would be like.

What advice would you give to students who are considering this major? 

Give it a try. You never know if you will like Physical Education or not until you try. I would also say get to know your professors and have a good relationship with them. I would always try to say “Good morning” or “Hello” to my professors if I saw them around the WRC or other places on campus. I felt like I had a good relationship with all of my professors. Lastly, I would advise students to get involved. Be willing to join the PE Club and do extra activities. It is a great way to have a good relationship with your classmates, to get more experience, to network, and to have fun outside of school work.