Meet a student in the School of Education

Q&A with a student in the School of Education

Senior English communication major Nikki Zaffiri-Boland spoke with graduate student Marcie Evangelist about her experiences in returning for her master’s degree and how she balances being a student and a teacher.

NZB: Why did you decide to go into the education field?

ME: I truly love school and learning. Even as a child I can remember going to the store in July and August and seeing the pencils and notebooks on display and being excited and ready for the school year to start. That feeling never went away as I got older. I’ve also always enjoyed helping people. In middle and high school I participated in peer tutoring and found it incredibly rewarding to help my peers overcome their academic struggles. Those experiences really guided me into education.

NZB: You graduated from Gwynedd-Mercy College in 2006 with your bachelor’s in education. Why did you decide to return for your master’s in reading here?

ME: My experience at Gwynedd-Mercy College while I was getting my bachelor’s degree was amazing. I loved the small class sizes, the personable staff, and the flexible scheduling. As I began researching schools to attend for my master’s degree, my experience at GMC just kept returning to my mind, and I knew I wanted to come back.

NZB: What was your practicum experience like?

ME: It was great. I was able to go into the classrooms of two very experienced special education teachers who were great at what they did. They gave me a lot of feedback on my teaching techniques and I learned so much about how I wanted to run my own classroom one day.

NZB: What part of being a teacher appeals to you the most?

ME: As a special education teacher I get to work with students who struggle with school. Helping my students work through their struggles, and accomplish more than they and others had thought was possible is the absolute best part of my job.

NZB: What has been your most inspiring moment in teaching?

ME:  Helping a 7th grade student go from illiterate to developing a true love of reading.

NZB: Being a graduate student, how do you balance being a teacher and a student?

ME: It is not easy. I am also a new mom, so my time is precious. Being organized and having a plan of attack each week is necessary.  I am very blessed to have an incredibly supportive husband and family, who all do as much as possible to support me in this juggling act.

NZB: Do you have any advice for incoming students or graduate students who are thinking of enrolling in the education program?

ME: Be prepared to work hard, because you will get out exactly what you put into it.  Gwynedd-Mercy College’s education program is a lot of hard work, but it truly prepared me for teaching. I have had numerous supervisors ask me where I went to college because they see a difference in my preparedness. And, when I’ve talked to colleagues who went to other schools, I am always reminded of how great my experience at GMC was.