Emily Kurtin earned a BS in education studies from the School of Education this past spring, in addition to receiving certificates in public policy, disability rights and services, gender and women studies, Asian American studies, and environmental studies.
She recently shared her thoughts with the School of Education’s communications team about her time at UW–Madison. Following is an edited transcript:
What are you up to now? I will be earning my Master of Education and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from UCLA’s Teacher Education program. My program starts in fall 2023.
What was your most meaningful experience in the Education Studies program? My most meaningful experience in the Education Studies program was my Human Rights and Education Freshman Interest Group (FIG) my first year. The Human Rights and Education core class, combined with introductory international studies and gender and women’s studies courses, was a great introduction to issues in education that I would study throughout my time in Madison. The structure of the FIG also helped me ease into the college experience and made the transition smoother. The best and longest-lasting impact of that FIG was the friends I made. I am still very close with the friends I made in the FIG, with one of them even being my roommate for the past two years.
Are there any professors or classes that were particularly important to your learning experience? This is a difficult question because I feel that all of the classes I took were important to my learning experience in that I learned something new in every course I took. While some courses introduced lots of brand new information, other classes were able to build upon my previous knowledge and help me develop a deeper understanding. I feel that I am leaving Madison with a wealth of knowledge on a variety of topics because of the diversity of classes I took to fulfill my certificates and major.
In terms of professors, I have taken classes from so many fantastic professors. I wish I could list them all by name, but that list would be incredibly extensive. The professor who has had the greatest impact on my learning experience is Professor Erica Turner. I took Educational Policy (Ed Pol) 575 with Professor Turner, and that class shaped my perspective on teaching and policy in ways that helped me process what I wanted to do in my own career. I know the knowledge I gained from that class will serve me well in the future. Professor Turner’s guidance inside and outside of the classroom has made a significant impact on my life, and I am very grateful to her. I recommend taking her classes to all of my Education Studies friends. Like Professor Turner, I have thoroughly enjoyed taking classes with Ed Pol professors. I have taken many classes outside the discipline, and I can say that there is something special about Ed Pol professors. While I have had many great professors outside of the discipline, Ed Pol professors are the warmest, most understanding, and caring professors. They teach for the sake of learning, not to give out grades. They genuinely care about the well-being of their students, and I could not be more grateful to have taken so many classes with Ed Pol professors.
You completed many certificates in addition to your major. In what way do you think that helped your studies? Something I observed from my Ed Pol classes was how education is affected by so many other institutions and issues. To have a deep understanding of the issues in education requires knowledge of many different topics and issues. I believe that studying the other topics of my certificates has helped me build that foundation of knowledge. Throughout my four years, I have noticed how so many topics within my certificates overlap with each other, creating this complex web of connections. I know that this foundation of knowledge will help me to become a better teacher for my students and a thorough policymaker.
What are your future goals? How do you hope the Education Studies program will help you achieve them? First, I am planning to earn my Master of Education and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from UCLA’s Teacher Education program. Afterward, I plan to teach for at least a few years in a public elementary school in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). If I do not continue teaching after that, I plan to look into jobs in educational policy, possibly in a school administration or in a nonprofit.
Is there anything else you want to talk about or make sure is mentioned that I haven’t asked about? I am extremely grateful to everyone in the Education Studies program and the School of Education overall. As I have mentioned before, I would be nothing without the fantastic professors I have had. I am also extremely grateful to Mary Thompson-Shriver and the rest of the Academic Advising team in the School of Education. I met with Mary at least once every semester to both plan out my schedule and just to catch up. Additionally, I deeply appreciate everyone at the Career Center who helped me with resumes, interviews, and even my graduate school applications. I would also like to thank Michael Dixon, who I worked for as an Education Studies Ambassador and who helped me find great opportunities. Finally, I must mention my peers. I have met so many fantastic people in the Education Studies program and have made so many close friends because of it. At the end of my UW–Madison journey and looking back, I can say they were the highlight of my four years.