College of Education Student Ambassador

Meet Jazmin Rodriguez

Hometown: Arlington, TX
Major/certification area and anticipated graduation year: Early Childhood Education- Bilingual Certification 

Why did you choose to attend UT Arlington?

• Growing up five minutes from campus I remember driving past Abram and Collins Street and always seeing students walking from one side of campus to the other. I always pictured myself as one of those students walking around UTA campus. As a first-generation student in my family, I did not consider leaving home at any point in life. I knew I wanted to stay close to home, and wanted to find the most affordable choice I had. After figuring out that I would save money commuting to the campus, I started researching UTA's Education Program. I discovered that UTA offers an amazing Education Program. UTA was always my top choice, and I am glad I decided to attend this campus.

What is your favorite thing about the College of Education?

• My favorite thing about the College of Education is all the amazing connections I have made. From professors to mentors, to amazing friends! Everyone in the College of Education is very supportive, friendly, and understanding.

Who is your favorite professor or staff member?

• I would say that my favorite professor has been Dr. Tice. Dr. Tice shares all her past experiences and knowledge she has earned with her students. In fact, she was the one who convinced me to join the ambassadors even though I had a lot on my plate at the time, I decided to give it a chance, and here I am now! Her classes are always very interactive and fun, I highly recommend taking courses with her!

What class have you enjoyed the most?

• The class that I have enjoyed the most has been LIST-4376 with Dr. Tice. This was one of the first courses that guided me to practice certain strategies that will be effective when teaching literacy skills to students.

What activities or hobbies do you participate in outside of class?

• Besides being part of the Education Student Ambassadors, I am also part of BESO. BESO is the Bilingual Education Student Organization. I have been a member since my junior year. Outside of school, I enjoy hanging out with my family, and friends. I also enjoy spending time alone from doing self-care, watching movies, and trying new foods.

What are your plans after graduation? When you think about your future career in education, what excites you the most?

• After graduation, I plan to find a job within the Arlington ISD. I hope I find a job opportunity close to home, and I also hope to start teaching a first or second-grade class. I am so excited to implement all the strategies I have learned, and skills I have developed in my classroom and watch how my students learn with me throughout the school year. I know that my first-ever class will be special to me, and I can't wait to meet them.

What is the one thing you think a prospective Education student needs to know?

• If you are considering joining UTA's College of Education, just know that you will not regret your decision. You will learn so much and you will gain a lot of field experience before graduation. You will be prepared and will be guided through your entire experience providing you the best experience!

Have you overcome any challenges that you feel would help inspire other Education majors?

• A challenge I have faced through my college experience has been finding a life-school balance. Being a full-time student, having two jobs and a personal life has definitely been hard but not impossible. Luckily I found a job I love and that is very flexible. I highly recommend being a substitute teacher! This way you can take time off if you need to catch up on assignments or need personal time and the job will provide you that flexibility.

Have you received any scholarships/grants to help you pay for school?

• I am a proud recipient of the Blaze Forward Scholarship. With this scholarship, I can thankfully say that I have not paid any tuition out of pocket throughout my career. UTA also offers numerous amount of scholarships for their students, be on the lookout for those!