My Life Experiences
I am an African American, female, who grew up in a single-parent household with my mother and three siblings. I am the oldest child, and I have one brother and two sisters. We lived in a poor, rural area, Hopkins, South Carolina, and I was educated in the local public school system. The importance of education was stressed in my family. I remember my grandmother showing me her first-year college report card that she kept in her sewing kit and stressing the importance of completing my education. My grandmother was unable to complete her undergraduate studies in education because she started a family. Ultimately, she was able to realize her dream of teaching by becoming a teacher’s assistant at an elementary school.
As a child, I performed well academically in all subjects, but mathematics, which is stereotyped as a subject that males excel in naturally (Kelly, 2013), was my favorite subject. During my senior year in high school, I was undecided about my college major. I knew I loved mathematics and wanted a STEM career path. I completed the teacher cadet program in high school and enjoyed the classroom experience. My grandmother was also an …show more content…
I enrolled in the Master of Art teaching program at Winthrop University. Although I enjoyed my studies at Winthrop University, I married and relocated to Columbia, SC. After working in the Columbia office of my engineering firm for a few months, I was relieved of my duties during the economic downturn of 2008 and began searching for employment. I applied for an adjunct position at OCTC. During my interview, I learned there was a full-time position available, and I was a candidate for both positions. I always wanted to teach, and this was an excellent new career path. I was offered and accepted the position as a full-time instructor. Thus, I would have the best of both worlds: engineering and
I am an African American, female, who grew up in a single-parent household with my mother and three siblings. I am the oldest child, and I have one brother and two sisters. We lived in a poor, rural area, Hopkins, South Carolina, and I was educated in the local public school system. The importance of education was stressed in my family. I remember my grandmother showing me her first-year college report card that she kept in her sewing kit and stressing the importance of completing my education. My grandmother was unable to complete her undergraduate studies in education because she started a family. Ultimately, she was able to realize her dream of teaching by becoming a teacher’s assistant at an elementary school.
As a child, I performed well academically in all subjects, but mathematics, which is stereotyped as a subject that males excel in naturally (Kelly, 2013), was my favorite subject. During my senior year in high school, I was undecided about my college major. I knew I loved mathematics and wanted a STEM career path. I completed the teacher cadet program in high school and enjoyed the classroom experience. My grandmother was also an …show more content…
I enrolled in the Master of Art teaching program at Winthrop University. Although I enjoyed my studies at Winthrop University, I married and relocated to Columbia, SC. After working in the Columbia office of my engineering firm for a few months, I was relieved of my duties during the economic downturn of 2008 and began searching for employment. I applied for an adjunct position at OCTC. During my interview, I learned there was a full-time position available, and I was a candidate for both positions. I always wanted to teach, and this was an excellent new career path. I was offered and accepted the position as a full-time instructor. Thus, I would have the best of both worlds: engineering and