A Special Message from our Seniors for our Accepted Dragons
Drexel University School of Education
April 27, 2021
Dear Class of 2025,
We want to first congratulate you on your acceptance to the Drexel School of Education! This is no small accomplishment, and you should be extremely proud of this momentous achievement. People always say that your time at college will go fast, but we must admit that we did not think it would go as fast as it did. We can still remember our first day of college when our advisor took a picture of our class and told us that he would show us this same picture in four years. He insisted that when he showed us this picture, we would not be able to believe how fast the time went. Our advisor also told us that being a Dragon would be one of the best experiences of our lives. As seniors a few weeks away from graduation, we can say that he was right about everything.
We are sure you are experiencing many different emotions as you begin thinking about your first year of college. These are not uncommon, as we all get nervous and excited about a new experience. To get to know other students, Drexel provides many opportunities for you to participate in clubs, sports, and volunteer work. As current student athletes, we can say that the Drexel School of Education allows us to balance school, athletics, and social activities. This program also allows you to meet other aspiring teachers, share ideas and experiences with one another, and form lifelong friendships. One of our favorite parts of the program is having small class sizes where the professors know you on a personal level and help you reach new heights you never thought were possible.
The teacher preparation program also allowed us to gain valuable experiences in the classroom. Prior to our co-op experience, we were able to observe a variety of grade levels. This gave us the opportunity to see what grade level we would be interested in teaching. In addition, it allowed us to observe students and see how we could tailor instruction to meet their needs. During our student teaching residency, we learned how to manage a positive classroom climate in the virtual setting. This experience helped us better understand the daily responsibilities of a teacher, as well as how to build relationships with students. Although we did not complete our residency in-person, we learned how to create engaging lessons and gained experience with new online resources. We also had the privilege of being a member of Kappa Delta Pi, which is the National Honor Society for Education students. As a member of this organization, you are required to complete service hours each year. Every service opportunity is a great way to meet peers with the same interests and help young students become successful learners. Future Educators of Drexel, FEDs, is another great organization we have been a part of since freshman year. This organization allows you to interact and share ideas with other fellow educators. The mission of this organization is to help future teachers provide our youth the education they deserve. FEDs also asks that you complete several community service hours and/or attend events hosted by the organization. Overall, being a part of these organizations has allowed us to grow as educators and make a positive impact in the classroom.
Ultimately, these experiences have led us to feel confident as teacher leaders in the next stage of our lives. We assure you that Drexel will allow you to become a better educator, make lifelong friendships, and enjoy an experience of a lifetime! As you look forward to your next chapter, remember these two important messages. Life is not as scary when you are fire breathing and can fly, and the deadline to confirm your enrollment is May 1st! Go dragons!
Sincerely,
Kristi DiMeo and Megan Trivelpiece, Class of 2021