Kathrine Grant ’19, English and Secondary English Education
3 min read
Kathrine Grant ’19
Major: English and Secondary English Education
Extracurriculars: state chair, Connecticut Education Association; political director, UConn Future Educators; vice president, Teacher Education Student Association; Leadership Legacy 2018 Cohort; tutor, Writing Center; team leader, Alternative Breaks Appalachia, 2019; intern, Connecticut Writing Project; student instructional specialist, UConn Honors Program.
Scholarships: Academic Excellence Scholarship; Holster First Year Scholar’s Grant; Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship; Group IDEA Grant.
Hometown: Groton, Connecticut
What inspired you to become a teacher?
My purpose for teaching is fulfilling the call to “be the change you wish to see.” My goal as an educator is to inspire my future students to study as deeply and widely as their passions take them, to seek out opportunities to engage with the world around them, and ultimately to use their knowledge and skills to better the world they live in. I was inspired to become a teacher when I realized the tremendous impact that education has on the life of a child and how this, multiplied over districts and states and across our nation, has a profound effect on our country. Education changes lives. I knew then that this was the profession—and the life—that I wanted. Becoming an educator is how I want to change the world: through teaching the students in my classroom.
What did you accomplish during your college experience that you’re most proud of?
I am most proud of the person I have become. I have learned so much about myself, the world around me, and the role I want to play in making our society a better place for all. My future career is an intensely personal and interpersonal one, and becoming the person, educator, and leader that I am today has been what I have worked most toward during the past four years. I want to serve and lead in order to create change, and being able to do that required that I experience all that I could during my four years at UConn. My college experience has taught me so many important lessons and instilled in me the importance of continually pursuing experience to learn from.
What do you plan to do after you graduate?
I will be returning to UConn in the fall to complete my master’s degree in education in curriculum and Instruction through Neag’s Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s program. Following, I plan to teach English in a high school setting. I then have plans to transition into graduate school to pursued a joint JD/Ph.D. in law and educational policy to then work in education politics and policy.
How has UConn shaped you as a person?
My experience at UConn has been instrumental in the person that I am today. From the experiences I have on and off of campus, the people I have met and call my peers, and the faculty and advisors I have worked with, I am who I am today because of these individuals. These individuals have all pushed me to grow and achieve but have also been there to support me when I have faltered and failed. They are role models that I look up to and consistent sources of inspiration for me.
If you could summarize your experience at UConn in three words, what would they be?
Immersive. Expansive. Fulfilling.
What did receiving a scholarship mean to you?
Receiving the Academic Excellence Scholarship allowed me to shift and refine my priorities at UConn. Knowing that I had the financial support that the award provides allowed me to more intentionally use my time to pursue research and extracurricular and curricular opportunities. I have been able to invest my time in several different programs on and off of campus that have greatly benefitted me as an individual as a professional in part because I did not have to worry about either working or the financial stress of taking out significant loans to support myself throughout college. The financial support I received through the Academic Excellence Scholarship was crucial to my experience and my success here at UConn.
I definitely plan to support student scholarships when I become an alumna of the University. UConn has given me so much, and I look forward to being able to give back to the University and to help support future students.
Read the full article on UConn Today.
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