The University of Vermont issued the following announcement.
The days leading up to and through Commencement are an exciting and rewarding time for students, families, friends, and loved ones. Students reflect on life-changing experiences, their struggles, and their achievements while appreciating those who made a difference along the way.
It is also a time to celebrate what comes next as graduates move on to rewarding careers, graduate study, and other exciting opportunities. We are honored to share a few stories of success from the College of Education and Social Services (CESS) Class of 2022.
Molly Wagner
The culmination of Molly Wagner’s time at UVM will signal the beginning of an exciting new chapter that will fulfill her long-time aspiration. After graduation, the middle level education senior from Wilmette, Illinois will begin her career as a special education teacher at the Jean Garvin School in Williston, Vermont.
“This has been my dream job since I was a kid in middle school,” she says. “I’m feeling extremely excited and thankful for this opportunity and cannot wait to start.”
Wagner’s career inspiration was the result of her experiences in school. “I grew up in special education myself and became especially interested upon entering more mainstream classes,” she remembers. As a first year student at UVM, it wasn’t long before she changed her major when she realized her passion for middle school, and then subsequently added a minor in special education as soon as she could.
Molly Wagner engages with students during her student teaching internship at Williston Central School. (Photos by David Seaver)
“My student teaching internships at Edmunds Middle School and Williston Central School were amazing and prepared me very well for the job I will be starting," she says. Prior to that, she spent time in the field teaching at Robin’s Nest Children’s Center and the Greater Burlington YMCA. Those experiences along with her involvement in the DREAM program played a major role in her love for education and community engagement.
Pivotal to Wagner’s success were her professors Jessica DeMink-Carthew and Matt Chandler, she says, along with peers in the middle level education cohort who always supported each other with classes and during their teaching internships.
Support from her mom and her college roommates brought great joy and memories over the last four years. “I feel beyond thankful that I had such an amazing woman raise me. And I’m grateful for my roommates for the past two years who always let me talk their ears off about my daily middle school experiences in the field.”
Ali House
Elected to the Burlington City Council in March, Ali House is honored to serve on the Public Safety Committee and the Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Committee.
“I look forward to furthering issues close to my heart including housing justice, climate justice, racial justice, and mental health justice,” says House, who believes the social work education and experiences she gained at UVM played an important role in preparing her for the position on City Council.
Ali House being sworn in on April 4, 2022 after her election to serve on Burlington City Council. (Photo by Max Tracy)
“The social work program played an instrumental role in teaching me how to take my social and economic justice values and channel them into action,” she says. “Language is a powerful tool, and through the BSW (Bachelor of Social Work) experience I developed the language to describe the injustices I have seen and felt in the world. The program allowed me the freedom and creativity to explore opportunities I never would have had a chance to pursue otherwise.”
House, who hails from Wolfeboro, New Hampshire and Washington, DC, says she never expected to go into politics. She had always seen social justice activism and political service as two separate entities.
“As a social worker, my heart has always been with activism,” she says. “It wasn't until I came to see these things as one that the opportunity to pursue political service presented itself. When I realized it was possible to combine my passion for social and economic justice with grassroots political organizing, a world of possibilities unfolded.”
During the past four years, House developed her social work skills in through a variety of community-engaged experiences. At the Lund Center for Children and Families, she served as post-adoption department case management intern and still serves as support group co-facilitator for the organization. She also worked as a student intern at the Vermont State House in Montpelier with Representative Ann Pugh, and as a volunteer with the Integrated Arts Academy After School Program in Burlington.
On campus, House co-founded a support group for injured athletes with Catamount Sports Psychology Department. Her student leadership roles also included service as a resident advisor and as a Student Accessibility Services (SAS) note-taker.
Beyond campus, her achievements include multiple certifications and trainings to support LGBTQ+ children and youth, de-escalation and violence prevention training, caring for infants with opioid exposure, commercial sexual exploitation of children training for caregivers, and orientation and mentor training for kin and foster caregivers.
For her demonstrated commitment in and outside of the classroom and her potential to make significant contributions to the social work profession, House received the Social Work Policy Practice Award given at the CESS Honors and Awards ceremony on April 28. She credits the many faculty, staff, and mentors who were instrumental to her success at UVM and in the field. Amazing friends and family were also key sources of inspiration, especially her grandmother Billie, who at age 99 cast her vote in the 2020 election.
“My grandmother encouraged me from a young age to pay attention to important issues in the community, and that sparked my interest in public policy.”
Sandra King
Sandra King built an impressive record of achievements on her way to becoming an inclusive early childhood educator. The senior from Westchester, New York completed six semesters of field work gaining hands-on experience and developing her teaching and leadership skills.
King's resume includes field experiences at the Trinity Children’s Center, the Campus Children’s School, Allen Brook School, and Georgia Elementary School. She also completed an action research project working to implement social-emotional curricula and interventions with toddlers at Loveworks in South Burlington.
Sandra King outdoors with students during her practicum at Williston Central School in fall semester of 2020. (Photo by Doug Gilman)
“I wanted to become a teacher my whole life, since kindergarten, actually,” recalls King, who is on track to complete an accelerated master’s degree pathway in special education at UVM a year after earning her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education.
“Sandra is one of the most vibrant and positive students I have had the pleasure to work with over the years,” says King’s faculty advisor, Dr. Jen Hurley. “Our UVM community and the many local young children she supports benefit from her commitment to social justice and upbeat spirit.”
For her exemplary record of service and engagement in the community, King recently earned special recognition as the recipient of the 2022 Outstanding Student Leadership in Community-Engaged Learning Award. Previously, she received 2020 Academic and Social Justice Distinction Award given by the CESS and the Mosaic Center for Students of Color for her actions to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in early childhood education practices.
At the recent CESS Honors and Awards ceremony, she received the Engaged Scholarship Award given by the Department of Education for her actions promoting a responsive curriculum fostering the engagement and competence of children, families, and communities.
“Sandra is ambitious and capable of handling multiple challenging responsibilities with grace,” says Early Childhood Education Program Coordinator Lauren MacKillop. “Her natural way with students is exemplified by her hard work, organizational skills, and outstanding maturity. She is deeply committed to the field and the holistic wellness of youth, families, and communities.”
Taylor Mullen
To continue following her passion working with kids and their mental health, Taylor Mullen will move on to earn her graduate degree in Counseling at the University of Virginia after graduating from UVM.
“Mental health is an issue impacting children in schools all over the country,” says the Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) major from Delray Beach, Florida. “I want to be a conduit of support and care for students who need it.”
Along with her major in HDFS, Mullen's academic credentials include a minor in Behavioral Change Health Studies and a Certificate in Integrative Health and Wellness Coaching.
As an intern working on the UVM KID Study with Dr. Ellen McGinnis in the Larner College of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry, she worked with preschool-aged children on mood, behavior, and intelligence assessments. The study aims to create an early detection tool for internalizing disorders in pre-school aged children.
“Ellen took me under her wing and helped me succeed both academically and personally while I worked with her as TA and undergraduate researcher,” explains Mullen. “I've learned so much from her and she helped me choose and apply for my graduate study path.”
Mullen describes her college experience as eye-opening and welcoming in a positive and healthy community. “I've met incredible faculty, staff and students who helped shaped me and my future career endeavors,” she says. “My HDFS professors Nicole Conroy and Camelia Măianu truly care about me, and they helped me learn and grow every day. I felt so at home in this community and know that these people will be in my corner for years to come.”
(Photo by UVM Athletics)
Beyond academics, Mullen was proud to represent UVM as an athlete on the women’s lacrosse team throughout her college career.
“I had an amazing four years playing the sport that I love and making friends with some of the greatest women who are major motivators for me academically, athletically, and in my everyday life. I’m incredibly grateful for the student-athlete experience which allowed me to excel at UVM.”
That deep sense of gratitude extends to her parents, Mullen says, for the opportunity to attend UVM and for their continuing support throughout her academic journey.
Fulfilling the Mission
For more than 150 years, graduates of the College of Education and Social Services have made a profound impact on society through their professional practice, research and service across Vermont, the United States, and abroad. The quality of their preparation is widely recognized and highly valued. They are uniquely positioned to make a real difference through career pathways that promote a more humane and just society maximizing human potential and the quality of life for all.
Original source can be found here.
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