Christian Mansfield- Contributor
On Monday evening, the Student Future Teachers Organization held their weekly meeting in the Adanti Student Center in Room 201. This club is designed for students pursuing or may be interested in pursuing an education-related degree. President Jayde Eggert, a senior, feels grateful to be part of such a community.
“I found this club as a freshman in search of ways to be connected to Southern, especially during Covid, when classes were online,” Eggert said. It has allowed me to develop great friendships and helped me prepare for my future career in education.”
Comprehensive special education major Makenna Rancourt, a junior and member of the SFTO, shared her experience.
“I have been a member for the last three years and could not be happier. I absolutely love this club, especially its affiliation with the Connecticut Education Association. It provides us with countless opportunities to make great connections, even getting to meet with state legislators last month over education policy,” Rancourt said.
Katie Schulte, a junior, shares her gratitude for the club.
“I joined this club in Fall of 2022, my first semester here on campus. I have met great people and great connections to the education field,” Schulte said. “We have lots of fun events, such as the Valentine’s Day ‘Spread the Love’ event, where we handed out gift bags with goodies in them to make people feel special on Valentine’s Day. I’m so glad I found this club with likeminded people. I would encourage anyone to join.”
Special education major Quin Eyrich, a freshman, feels fortunate to be a member of this club.
“Since starting here at Southern in the fall, I have been fortunate to have gotten involved in various clubs and sports here, such as SFTO. I have met people of all walks of life from different areas. I am studying to be a special education teacher, and clubs like this remind me why I want to go into this field,” Eyrich said. “We are dedicated to helping future teachers find a sense of community and learn valuable ways they can become effective teachers in the future.
Elementary education major Cole Brown, a freshman, joined the club in the fall.
“I love that this club is a collaborative effort between multiple people who work in schools and other service-related fields,” Brown said. “It’s great to learn from others’ perspectives and grow in knowledge as I grow in my education. I would encourage any student who is looking for a strong sense of community and aiming to find their niche to join.”
Southern Future Teachers’ Organization meets every Monday at 5 p.m. in Room 201 in the Adanti Student Center. Their mission for the club is “One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.”
