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Olivia Agoros ’23, an Elementary Education major, will continue her studies at 51���� in the 4+1 special education master’s program.  

Four Years of Field Experience: “My favorite thing about the program is that it gets you into the field right away. My first year, my class took a field trip to a school where we met the administrators and some of the staff, and we walked through and got to sit in on a few classes. That’s very rare for your freshman year. Now I’m in my student teaching role. I’ve completely taken over the classroom; I’ve taken on the role of planning everything and doing the lessons myself. It’s really awesome. I do feel prepared.”  

A Focus in STEAM: “I will also be graduating with a STEAM certificate. I took engineering, technology, math, science, and robotics classes. They were really cool because I’ve always struggled with the sciences, but when my professors helped with hands-on learning, I was able to be successful. I’ve learned how STEAM can be integrated into any content area. I think every school should incorporate some sort of STEAM into their curriculum. It looks great on a resume, but any school where I end up, if it’s not already there, I hope to introduce it.”   

Learning from Experts: “Our professors are awesome on staying on top of culturally relevant pedagogy. We’re really focused on what’s actually happening in the classroom and what you’re going to see, so I know what to expect. During class, we can ask our professors anything, and they stop to talk about it. They answer our questions and worries. You feel really supported with the transition from just going into the school for a field trip to slowly you’re taking over the entire classroom.”  

Agoros, of Middletown, R.I., has been a peer mentor and a member of the Foundation for the International Medical Relief of Children.   

Every spring, as Commencement nears, 51����spotlights members of the graduating class. Suggestions are welcome. Email: stories@rwu.edu