MEET OUR GRADUATES: On Her Way to Becoming a Teacher, She Will Serve in the Military

Ever since Genesis Aldana was five years old, she has dreamed of becoming a teacher. Nonetheless, she also loves serving her country, so after earning her B.A. 世界语言教育, with a concentration in Spanish and a minor in Latin-American studies in May, she will be taking a detour to serve in the U.S. 军队. 

Aldana is a first-generation college student, whose parents immigrated to Rhode Island from Guatemala in the early 90s. 年前, while attending Cranston High School East, her Spanish teacher recognized her desire to set an example for future generations and recommended she join the Heritage Spanish Program. The program focuses on developing multilingual and multicultural literacies by appreciating the heritage language. Participants develop linguistic, communicative, cultural and metalinguistic competencies.

Credits earned in this program counted toward RIC college credits, which motivated Aldana to enroll in RIC’s world languages education program. 每学期, she would take three Spanish language courses, reinforcing her vocabulary and proficiency and improving her reading and writing skills. 

“I grew up speaking Spanish, but my parents didn’t teach me to read or write in Spanish,” she says. “Learning language skills and the history of Spain and Spanish has taken me to a whole new level of proficiency. It also improved my understanding of the Latin American world.”

从大一开始, Aldana has been a member of the 军队 Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). ROTC provides leadership training, pays for her college education and guarantees a post-college career. In exchange, participants commit to serving in the military after graduation for four years.

“In July, I will be an active-duty second lieutenant,” she says. “Although it’s been a challenge – balancing school, 周末加班, 上课, training three times a week and going out in the woods for four days at the end of each semester – I’m very happy.”

“Being part of this program has been a big honor,” she says. “I’ve learned a lot about myself, such as successful communication, 情绪控制, 团队合作, embracing failure and understanding that every team member has their strengths.”

在RIC工作期间, Aldana was part of the Spanish club UNIDOS and utilized resources from the Writing Center, Adams 图书馆 and the Military Resource Center.  

“The teachers at RIC are flexible and open-minded,” she says. “They’re supportive and willing to work with you. Professor David Ramirez taught me that teachers don’t always know the answer and that it’s okay to admit it, 这意味着, 作为老师, sometimes I’ll have to re-teach myself.”

Aldana is looking forward to beginning her teaching career in Rhode Island. 

“I want to continue to share the Spanish language and culture because it’s a part of me. That’s why I got into teaching,” she says. “Students want to see someone like them in front of the classroom because it resonates with them and motivates them. I want to be an example for them. I want to teach them to keep moving forward and to chase their dreams, that they’ve got to keep their eyes on the prize.”