Emma Roldan ’25 and Madison Wessling ’25 were recently featured in an article on People.com, describing their extraordinary dedication to their students and communities.
Halfway through their year-long internships in local elementary schools, both College of Education students learned that their mentor teachers had been diagnosed with cancer and would not be able to return for the remainder of the school year.
Both could have been placed in new internships with different mentor teachers, but both chose instead to quickly complete the requirements to become the lead teachers for their classes. During an ongoing substitute teacher shortage and a difficult emotional time, they ensured that their students would have continuity, caring and support.
Roldan and Wessling stepped up to meet the needs of their students while also completing the rigorous final semester of their college program.
“Each of my students holds a special place in my heart,” said Wessling. “Even though you are the teacher, there is so much that your students will teach you."
