Education Minor Found Personal Direction in Education 124 Field Experience
I began my college career confused, scared, and undecided about my future. After half a year of floundering in different classes, I took Education 124: Multicultural Education in K-12 Schools at the suggestion of a friend; and it changed my future entirely. Taking the time to help students in need in nearby schools really helped me to open my eyes to a whole field that needs attention. I soon after declared my major in Psychology (Cognitive Science) and my minor in Education.
In the middle of my second year, I was invited to be a part of Dr. AnneMarie Conley’s Motivation Research Group. While sitting at the same table with Drs. Conley, Joseph Mahoney, and Stephanie Reich and a number of doctoral students was initially bone-chilling to a nervous second-year undergraduate, I soon began to understand the field of research in education, and learned of the many research opportunities given to undergraduate students.
In my third year in UC Irvine, I became a part of the Peer Assistant program in the Department of Education, helping fellow students in the classroom. I also finally took the efforts to explore a research topic of deep interest. With much help from Dr. Conley, I applied for the Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) offered by UC Irvine. My proposal, titled Changes in Motivation of Non-Gifted Identified Students in the Presence or Absence of Gifted Identified Students and Effects on Academic Performance, puts forward the question of what happens to non-gifted identified students when a gifted identified student is sitting next to them. I was awarded a $2,000 stipend from SURP and $600 from the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP). Using data from the Math-Science Partnership – Motivation Assessment Program and with advice from faculty and graduate students, I’ll now be able to explore my research interest. Completing the program will be essential for me as I wish to continue my interest in education in graduate school.
My free time is spent playing and composing music, reading, and eating. I also joined the community service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, which works closely with community outreach programs such as Jumpstart and Project Access, and nationwide programs such as March of Dimes and the National MS Society.
Over the course of three years, I have enjoyed my time in the Department of Education and appreciate the knowledge and opportunities it has given me. I look forward to what will most likely be my last year in UC Irvine and with the wonderful Department of Education that has helped me in so many ways.
