Emily Wark: Outstanding Student in Curriculum, Assessment and Instruction

Emily Wark of Millinocket, Maine is the 2024 Outstanding Student in Curriculum, Assessment and Instruction in the University of Maine College of Education and Human Development. You can read a Q&A with Wark below.

What difference has UMaine made in your life and in helping you reach your goals?

When entering the Curriculum, Assessment and Instruction (CA&I) program at UMaine my main goal was to continue my work to better myself as an elementary educator. This program helped me dive deeper into many topics and ideas that can be directly applied to improving my instructional practices. The UMaineOnline option made it so easy for me to continue my education while working full time in my first grade classroom!

Have you worked closely with a professor or mentor who made your UMaine experience better? If so, tell us about them.

I have two! This first is Courtney Angelosante. I took her courses focused on Response To Intervention for Behavior (RTIB)/Positive Behaviorial Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and I learned so much. Her teaching really helped shape my understanding of how to better help my students and how to analyze behavioral data. The second is Elizabeth Hufnagel. We worked closely together during my last two semesters of graduate school and she helped me plan and implement an action research project. That experience was not only enjoyable and helped me learn so much about the research process, but Beth was incredibly supportive of me along the way.

What advice do you have for incoming graduate students to help them get off to the best start academically?

For other educators entering the CA&I program, I would say identify what your passions are in the classroom and teaching profession, and along your graduate-school journey consider how your learning can link with your passions! This made the learning so much more meaningful and fun for me through my own journey!

Why UMaine?

UMaineOnline truly made it so easy for me to work my full-time job and continue my education at the same time!

Favorite UMaine memory:

Creating and implementing my action research project around emotional regulation with young learners during my last two semesters of graduate school!

Special Thank You message:

Thank you to all of the wonderful professors that I’ve had along the way. Your passion for supporting educators was so clear and appreciated. I also want to thank my school district and colleagues at RSU 87 for allowing me this opportunity to further my education, encouraging me along the way, and for letting me bounce my ideas off of them. Most importantly I’d like to thank my boyfriend, Lance, Mom, and the rest of my friends and family for always showing their love and support for me through the last four years!