“The COE is helping me to achieve and reach my dreams, and I will always be grateful for the opportunity to be in this amazing program!”

Hometown

Kaneohe, HI

Department

Special Education

Related Degrees

• BEd, Exceptional Students & Elementary Education

Did you always know you wanted to become a teacher?
Yes, I wanted to be a teacher since I was still in elementary school! I think what lead me down this pathway was just seeing the impact that teachers had on students.

How did you become interested in special education in particular?
I became interested in special education when I started volunteering at the YMCA, and my girlfriend encouraged me as well!

Why did you choose to pursue a merged elementary and special education program?
I chose this program because I wanted to work with all students and allow for all students to have an equal chance at learning.

What has been the best part of the program experience so far?
The best part of this program has got to be the sound partners that we do in our first semester! Working with students one on one and being able to see their progress really warms my heart.

In what ways do you hope to make a difference in the field of education?
I hope to help all students to the best of my ability and shy away from the “boring” classroom. It’s still a thought, but I would like to come back as a professor and teach the future teachers!

How are the people and the program in the COE helping you along your way?
The professors in the program are always there to help me even if what I’m asking is not class related. The professors really want to see me and our cohort strive to be our best. The COE is helping me to achieve and reach my dreams, and I will always be grateful for the opportunity to be in this amazing program!

What are your post-program plans?
I plan to teacher for a couple of years and then come back to get my master’s degree. And maybe after a couple more years, I’ll see if the COE ESEE program has an opening for a professor position.