Getting to Know You: Grace Brouse
Grace Brouse – Elementary Education
Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona
Minors: Spanish
Year: Freshman
Why did you choose WSU?
I have lived in Arizona all of my life, so I knew that I needed a change for college. My family and I visited Colorado and Utah in the winter and it was beautiful. I knew that I wanted to attend somewhere with snow and seasons. I visited WSU with my mom, during my senior year of high school and I immediately fell in love with the campus. I love how all the buildings look that same and especially now in the winter it is beautiful.
Why do you want to become a teacher?
I have loved spending time with children since middle school. In high school, I started volunteering and babysitting and these activities continued to foster my love for children.
What are you most passionate about when it comes to being a teacher?
I love to see the light go off in their head and the expression on their face. That’s how I know that I am making a difference in their life.
What/who inspired you to become a teacher?
Teaching is in my blood. My maternal grandmother (nana) was a history teacher for high school students and my aunt was a special education teacher. My nana would always tell me stories about her students and how much she loved it. It was amazing to hear the stories she had to tell. My nana really helped me realize that I really wanted to be a teacher.
What do you hope to achieve in this career?
My goal is to make an impact on each child so that they remember me when they reflect on their elementary school years.
Where do you hope to go after graduation?
I hope to go back home to Arizona for a couple of years and earn my master’s degree while working. After that, I hope to move somewhere else. My goal is to see as many places as I can.
What impact do you hope to have on your future students?
I hope to impact students’ lives and make learning easier. I want them to be able to go into the next school year knowing that they have learned all of the basic steps that they need to be successful in that class.
Do you have any advice for incoming freshmen?
I would say to follow your heart. Especially if you don’t know what you want to do for the rest of your life. I, like many freshmen, struggled with this choice and tried to explore other options. But I ended up coming back to the elementary education program. I couldn’t be more excited to have my own classroom one day.