From the moment education majors begin their career at UofSC, they receive in-the-classroom experience. For Diana that meant observing classrooms, writing lesson plans, completing a practicum where she spent several days in a classroom per week and then student-teaching fulltime during her last semester.

"I was placed at an elementary school during my first internship followed by student teaching during my final and favorite semester," she said. "I got to see all the theories and principles I learned in my college courses come to life."

Enhancing the experience

"When I came to UofSC I knew I wanted to push myself," she said. "That meant I was going to need to search for leadership experiences."

She became president of the Women's Quad residence hall, joined student government's freshman council and served as an orientation mentor. Each of these experiences helped her develop her teaching style in a different way.

Diana also took advantage of the College of Education's study abroad opportunities and completed a Maymester in Reggio Emilia, Italy, to learn about their child-centered approach to education.

Studying abroad is one of the first things any potential employer asks me about when they see my resume, which is really awesome because it definitely sets me apart from other people.

When Diana reached her senior year, she decided to pursue Graduation with Leadership Distinction. She had already met most of the requirements through her involvement on campus, so her next step was putting together her portfolio. 

"I've learned through all of these experiences that there are certain things that every student needs from their education," she said. "These include differentiated instruction, hands-on learning and mentorships. Putting together my portfolio and presenting it at Discover USC allowed me to reflect on my experiences in a way that I hadn't before," she said.

Diana will take these lessons with her in her future career.

I am South Carolina.