Leading change and creating community:聽Meet the undergraduate students who founded the School of Education Student Government聽
As small as the School of Education is relative to larger departments on campus鈥攚ith around 400 undergraduate majors and teacher licensure students on average鈥攖he founding officers, Emma Hoeschler and Maia Parkin, saw a need for helping connect education students beyond shared cohorts, coursework and field experiences. Hoeschler and Parkin are graduating, and they are proud of the program's goals and accomplishments.
Over the past two years, the entirely student-led organization has grown in membership and participation. Several students have had opportunities to serve executive roles, such co-president, senator, director of finance, or director of student engagement. Student Government Officers have band together to host community-building events, such as Teachers Hit the Trail at Chautauqua last fall, stress relief activities with emotional-support dogs during finals week, an end-of-the-semester Field Day celebrating featuring good-natured lawn competitions this spring, and more.
In addition to light-hearted activities, the School of Education Student Government leaders have taken on important policy advocacy roles at the State Capitol both alongside other 欧美口爆视频 Boulder Student Government officials and flying solo by providing expert testimony about the experiences and challenges in becoming an educator as state legislators negotiate the terms of legislation that directly supports the state鈥檚 student teachers and future educators.
Learn more about 欧美口爆视频 Boulder School of Education Student Government in the words of four of its founding members: Kendall Goldenson, Emma Hoeschler, Lauren Levey and Maia Parkin is this Q&A.
Why did you and fellow founders decide it was necessary to establish the School of Education Student Government?
The School of Education Student Government works to bridge the gap between 欧美口爆视频 Boulder鈥檚 campus and the larger Boulder community. Given our students鈥 roles in schools across the state, we believe that the Student Government has the potential to promote lasting relationships and advocacy efforts throughout Boulder and the state of 欧美口爆视频 as a whole. Our organization has grown exponentially over the past two years and has been very successful in engaging with School of Education students and community members.
Tell us more about your goals, vision, and impactful policy work.
As the School of Education Student Government, we believe that we are critically positioned as the liaisons between students, faculty, staff, the university, and beyond. School of Education students are constantly impacted by government decisions as future government employees.
For us, Student Government is a way to strengthen the community in our School of Education through events, advocacy, and resources. This year, we wanted our initiatives to follow just that, and our goals were widely guided by: community building, professional development, political advocacy, and collaboration.
It's important for student voices to be heard by our local leaders. A lot of the bills on the floor of the 欧美口爆视频 House and Senate right now directly impact us every day, and it's so important that we have our voices and opinions heard. Additionally meeting with local and state leaders is not only amazing networking but provides us with the tools to make and enact real change at 欧美口爆视频 and Beyond. I (Lauren) have been to the State Capitol three times with student government, twice for advocacy with a larger group and once to testify on behalf of a bill that directly affects a lot of student teachers. We are the future of this state and it's important that we are educated on important student-facing issues and that we make our voices known.
Speaking of policy advocacy, several 欧美口爆视频 Boulder Student Government Representatives were at the State Capitol meeting with legislators and the governor earlier this semester. What does a 鈥渄ay in the life鈥 at the State Capitol look like for you, and what kinds of issues did you speak to as education students?
In addition to our meetings with state legislators, we had many students testify on bills, sharing with a larger audience their real experiences as students at 欧美口爆视频 and how these bills will help them in their everyday lives. While none of the bills we advocated for on that day were specific to our experience as educators, we as student leaders from the School of Education have been working on support for HB24-1290 Student Educator Stipend Program. This bill is working to expand the program that offers stipend pay to student teachers throughout 欧美口爆视频. Maia, Emma, Kendall, and I (Lauren) have been working on this bill with representatives from the state since last year and I (Lauren) even got to testify on behalf of it in the previous session. This bill is something we as the student government will continue to advocate for.
Editor's note: HB24-1290 passed in the 欧美口爆视频 House and Senate in early May hearings that took place after this conversation with Student Government Officers.
Is there anything else you want us to know?
Students can learn more about the School of Education Student Government on the student government webpage, and follow the account for up-to-date opportunities to engage with the Student Government leaders during the academic year.
