Noelle Hale started her higher education journey at James Madison University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education. Now, she is earning her master’s in literacy education (B-12) from SUNY Brockport, a little closer to her home in Buffalo, NY.
“I decided to choose Brockport to earn my graduate degree because they have one of the most reputable education programs in Western New York,” she said. Noelle explained that during her application process, she reached out to some of the professors in the education program and was impressed by how much they genuinely cared about the program. “I could tell right away that these people would be the type of professors who try to get to know and understand their students and provide the type of support they need.”
One of the most notable experiences she’s had at Brockport is being a graduate assistant in the Department of Education, Languages, and Instructional Design, where she was part of the Brockport Summer Learning Program. It’s a five-week program that focuses on providing high-quality summer enrichment to students from the Rochester City School District to provide more equitable educational experiences for all children. She adds that in her role, she learned about all the work it takes to run an educational program and make sure that students are getting a high-quality education.
“I have been able to assist with grant proposal writing, student data analysis, and designing summary reports to be distributed to the program’s partners,” she said.
As an elective during her studies, Noelle studied abroad in Spain, with a 10-day trip focusing on art, architecture, and literature. She explained how eye-opening the experience was and how she will appreciate it for the rest of her career.
“We attended three lectures at the University of Granada (the partner school for this program), two-day trips around southern Spain, professors from the University took us on tours around Granada, and we attended a few cultural experiences like a cooking class and flamenco dancing!”
Noelle encourages other graduate students to seek out new and different ways to learn.
“Saying yes to these opportunities allowed me to study abroad in Spain, conduct and present my own research, and hold positions such as being a GA throughout my time both at Brockport and in undergrad. These opportunities allow you to make connections and experiences that will equip you for your future career, and the best space to seek out these experiences is in a setting like Brockport,” she said.
Learn more about our Literacy Education (MSEd) program.