On May 10-11, UW–Madison and the School of Education will celebrate its latest cohort of talented graduates with 2024 Spring Commencement celebrations. Ahead of this big weekend, we reached out to a few of our graduating students to learn more about their accomplishments, time at UW–Madison, and future plans.
Grace Mullen is graduating with a bachelor of science in education from the Elementary Education program, where she also is earning a minor in Early Childhood Education. Growing up in east Madison, Mullen says she always knew she wanted to be a Badger — not only because of her love of the city, but to follow in the footsteps of her father and three sisters.
“When I was younger I always went downtown to go to the Memorial Union with my family and ran up and down Bascom Hill,” says Mullen. “My father graduated from UW–Madison and I wanted to follow in his footsteps and share those similar experiences. I also have three sisters who also graduated from UW–Madison.”
Mullen’s mother and two of her older sisters are also educators, so when the UW–Madison School of Education Wisconsin Teacher Pledge program was instituted, she was eager to jump on the opportunity and begin her journey to becoming an educator.
The donor-funded Teacher Pledge pays the equivalent of in-state tuition and fees, testing, and licensing costs for students in UW–Madison’s teacher education programs. In exchange, students pledge to teach in any public or private school in Wisconsin for at least four years — or three years in high-need subject areas or school districts.
“Oh my goodness, the Teacher Pledge program has impacted my experience in the best way possible,” says Mullen. “Knowing my schooling will be paid off in three years, just by doing something I love, is amazing. The Teacher Pledge made me feel like I can get the best education at UW–Madison covered and not have to worry about paying more student loans in the future.”
Read on to learn more about Mullen:
What was your most meaningful experience at UW–Madison? I think the most meaningful experience I had attending UW–Madison was being able to go through my School of Education program with one of my best friends from middle school. Aniyah Jackman and I attended middle school together and graduated high school together. Knowing we are graduating with each other again, and stepping into the same career together, means more to me than I can explain. There is no one else I would want to graduate with and walk into the same career together with. We learned all the same things in classes together, being in the same discussions with even the same cohort, and being able to see and hear all the experiences we had within our practicum experiences and student teaching. I am forever grateful for the friendship we built, and for moving on to the next big chapter in our lives together.
What’s next for you? What are your plans for the future? I am happy to say I am staying in Madison and have accepted a kindergarten position at Kennedy Elementary School. I am excited to get my foot in the door of my teaching career and meet all my future students.
Thinking about the principle of the Wisconsin Idea, how will you use what you have learned at UW–Madison to influence other people’s lives or positively impact our world? Thinking about the Wisconsin Idea and the things I have learned at UW–Madison and how I want to use it to influence other people’s lives positively is just continuing to motivate myself and my students to keep pushing and strive to be the best they can be.
Wisconsin, and UW–Madison as a whole, provide so many scholarships for students to keep their education moving without the stress of having to find a way to pay for it. I think having these options keeps our younger generation motivated to be in school and want to go to school and reminds them that schooling is an option. They know there are available options for students to succeed in the future, and to grow and be the best people they can be. As someone going into education, I think it’s important to keep motivating my students, knowing they are shining and they are creating their future and can make it and push towards their dreams.