"It's not about what it is. It's about what it can become." -Dr. Seuss

Taylor Eldridge is a senior undergraduate student receiving her Bachelor of Arts in English and Spanish with a minor in Special Education this June.

Where it began…

My freshman year began in September 2013 in The Sorting Hat FIG. This FIG combined EDST 111: Education Issues and Problems, SOC 204: Introduction to Sociology, and the 1-credit college connections course, EDST 199. Although I knew I was to be an English major, I wanted to explore teaching and social issues. I did not plan to live in the Residence Halls, either, which led me to taking a FIG because I wanted to stay in-touch with the campus community and meet new people. This FIG experience truly inspired and formed my college career. As a first-generation university student, I entered college with no idea what to expect. The classes and professors intimidated me and I feared I would miss out on a special experience not living in the Residence Halls like other freshmen. However, I met one of my best friends, connected to my courses, and found my own community in my FIG. The community within my FIG supported my education and gave me a network of peers to discuss educational issues with on different levels.I chose The Sorting Hat FIG because of my interest in becoming a high school English teacher. Taking the EDST course my first term introduced me to the history of schools in the United States and made me realize what I want my role to be in the education field. I made valuable connections in my FIG that led to lifelong friendships and career orientation.

Where I went…

Since I had such a wonderful and impactful experience in my FIG, I applied to be a FIG Assistant that following term. I received a position in my same FIG, The Sorting Hat, working with Professor Alison Schmitke for 3 years. Although our FIG changed through the years, the main concept of the political, social, and cultural dimensions of K-12 education stayed the same. Being the FA for the FIG let me stay connected to education and explore my personal interests in the field, while being an English and Spanish major. Professor Schmitke became an important mentor to me the past 4 years. We spent time over coffee discussing how we envision our FIG every year and she always made time to help me figure out my own career interests in education. I did not expect to craft such a valuable relationship with my FIG faculty member, but Professor Schmitke gave me unlimited opportunities to gain teaching experience in our FIG and help create our overall theme for the students. My relationship with Professor Schmitke fueled my passion for education. She became my primary mentor and role model as I navigated college and applied for graduate programs for teaching. Eventually, we changed the name of our FIG to Education Revolution and replaced SOC 204 with ES 101, which inspired students to answer this call of action we offered them in the education field and in their own educational career.

Over the course of 3 years, I worked with over 60 students. Working with each group of students shaped my own perceptions of education, too. I will always remember the powerful stories and ideas that we shared through discussing single stories and the 2016 UO Common Reading, Between the World and Me. I felt inspired by the different perceptions each student brought to the education field, especially those who took this FIG and declared a different major other than Education Studies. Connecting personally with students became a powerful way to form community and guide students through university life intheir first term.

Where I am going…

Being a FIG Assistant gave me a unique set of skills to be a mentor and teaching assistant. The unwavering support I received from the program, especially the administrators, fueled my confidence to apply to graduate schools for education. Being a FIG Assistant and a Student Coordinator in the FIG Program office, I grew immensely in my personal, academic, and career abilities. These transferrable skills helped me in my teaching career and as a tutor for the Services for Student Athletes department on campus. Although I am sad to be moving on from an extremely successful undergraduate career, I look forward to attend graduate school for a Master’s Degree in Special Education and hope to be an advocate for inclusive education and disability studies.