Victoria Cattelona | Serving the Educational Community to Assist Others

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My Journey to #AchieveMore

In May 2018, I graduated with an associate in arts degree in political science from Brookdale Community College and, two months later, began a one-year term on the college's Board of Trustees as the Graduate Trustee. This experience has helped me to specifically identify my career path. My membership on the Student Success and Educational Excellence Committee; meetings with administrators, faculty, and students; and development of an enrollment report, which explores the college's challenges and opportunities in response to demographic and economic changes, have influenced my decision to teach at the secondary level. After I complete my bachelor's degree in political science at Monmouth University, I plan to enroll in the accelerated Master of Arts in Teaching program at Monmouth to earn a social studies certification and an ESL endorsement. Eventually, I will design social studies curricula that includes robust civics education and support legislation mandating a stand-alone civics course for secondary schools. With my firsthand experience volunteering for and working on political campaigns and in governmental offices, I believe I can provide my future students with relevant and engaging information to supplement the course content and to inspire interest in active citizenship. I additionally hope to encourage high school students to seriously consider attending community college, especially because of higher education's rising costs. I will continue supporting community colleges through my membership on a soon-to-be established community advisory committee and through participation at Brookdale's educational and social events. I hope to eventually work at Brookdale or at another community college part-time as a tutor or instructor. Through all of these endeavors, I aspire to bridge the gap between active citizenship and education and to offer all students access to an affordable, high-quality education.

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