What a whirlwind of a weekend!
I spent about 72 hours at my alma mater, Colgate University, from Thursday afternoon to this afternoon. There, I had a full schedule meeting with current sophomore students, moderating 5 different education panels for students interested in a possible career in education, helping students practice their networking skills, and even having the opportunity to house- and pet-sit for a great professor and her family. Along the way, I had a blast reconnecting with other passionate alumni, meeting new faces, and catching up with Alumni Council meetings (I served on the Council from 2010-14). I had a packed schedule and didn't get home every night until really late. How energizing and inspiring the whole experience was, though!
Yes, I have always been a dedicated Colgate alum. I do a lot of admissions volunteer work for the greater DC area and have always enjoyed giving back to a place that brought so much to my life, Greg included. My favorite part is getting to be back on campus and meet with current students. The ones I met with this weekend were intelligent, eager, and gracious. I already received several thank-you emails, including the following note:
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Dear Ms. LaBanca,
My name is Woohee, and I talked with you briefly about South Korea after the first session today. Thank you so much for giving us great insight into your experiences in the education field. As an educational studies major interested in education where teachers dialogue with the students rather than depositing knowledge, I was excited to listen to your emphasis on showing genuine care and building relationships with students.
It was also great to hear about your graduate school experience. I am strongly considering attending graduate school in education, and would love to hear more about your experiences in the future.
Thank you for taking your time to give us a valuable insight into education, schools, and teaching. You have inspired me to continue being in this field, regardless of what shape my involvement in education might be. Have a safe trip back and thank you again!
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Teachers matter. Mentors matter. Role models matter. What difference can you make in someone else's life today? It distant matter how small.
#payitforward #giveback #begrateful 🌟🌟🌟
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