Aspiring Spanish teacher, Lilly Szecsi (’19), is earning the racial justice in urban schooling minor (RJUS) to better understand real issues facing students so she can become a better resource for all her future students.

What drove you to enroll in the racial justice in urban schooling minor program?

I primarily enrolled in order to gain new perspectives on unfamiliar topics within the realm of education that directly relate to my future profession.

Which part of the program have you found the most valuable?

I believe that the service-learning component within the “Issues in Urban Education” course has been the most valuable part of the minor for me. Having the opportunity to volunteer at various high schools around the Twin Cities has been extremely worthwhile; I have been able to put my learning into action and see some of the current challenges facing urban schooling settings firsthand. Service-learning has also given me a chance to analyze my own behaviors when working with children and recognize the ways in which I can improve on them in order to become a better resource for the students that I will eventually teach.

How has your experience with the faculty been?

My experiences with the faculty so far have been nothing but positive. All of my professors are extremely passionate about the subjects they teach, and this eagerness has made my courses much more interesting and practical. Overall, I can tell that the faculty truly cares about my success within the courses and program and are willing to do everything possible to provide me with information and opportunities that directly relate to my eventual teaching career.

What do you hope to get out of the minor? How will it help you in your career path?

My main goal is to gain additional insight and perspectives about topics relating to urban schools, such as common narratives and the role of economic issues in the context of education. Primarily, I am hoping that this minor will allow me to recognize the capacity of educators in regards to these challenges and the way in which we can address and alter the current situation through our own decisions while teaching. This minor will be applicable to my career as a Spanish teacher for years to come.

What do you hope to do after graduation?

In order to teaching in my own Spanish classroom, I am hoping to begin the master’s of education and initial teaching licensure program within C&I after graduation. I plan to teach somewhere in the Twin Cities following my completion of the program.

Any other thoughts you want to share about your experience?

I am extremely grateful for this experience and I am pleased with my decision to pursue this particular minor during my undergraduate career.  I truly believe that the RJUS minor has prepared me to take on the challenges associated with becoming the knowledgeable teacher that I aspire to be.

Learn more about the racial justice in urban schooling minor and the DirecTrack to Teaching program that prepare undergraduates for the teaching profession in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.