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Washington State University
College of Education

Getting to Know You: Hector Calzada

Hector Calzada – Elementary Education with a Math Endorsement

Hometown: Mount Vernon, WA

Year: Junior

Why did you choose WSU?
I chose WSU because I loved the atmosphere and how much of a family the campus felt the first time I visited the campus and took a tour.

Why do you want to become a teacher?
I want to become a teacher because I want to help my future students learn to love learning and point them in the right direction in life just as my teachers did for me when I was growing up.

What are you most passionate about when it comes to being a teacher?
What I’m most passionate about when it comes to being a teacher is that I can be someone my future students can look up to, someone who can help my students become the best person they can be and see they too have a bright future no matter what background they have.

What/who inspired you to become a teacher?
The person who inspired me to become a teacher was my high school AVID teacher, Marielle Hinderman. Mrs. Hinderman was the teacher who helped me when I was at my lowest in high school and she helped pushed me to become the best person I can be and without her I wouldn’t be where I am today and because of that I want to do the same with my future students, help them, inspire them, push them to become the best person they can be, just like Mrs. Hinderman did for me.

What do you hope to achieve in this career?
What I hope to achieve in this career is to help students and children with their learning and make an impact on their education.

Where do you hope to go after graduation?
After I graduate I hope to go back to my hometown, Mount Vernon, WA, to work alongside the teachers that taught me! On the other hand, I also do want to go a little bit more north and work and live in Bellingham, WA.

What impact do you hope to have on your future students?
The impact I hope to make on my future students is that they can do it, they can have a bright future no matter what background they have, and that learning can be fun!

What is your favorite part of the program?
My favorite part of this program is getting to meet my fellow future educators in my block! We get to bounce off ideas off each other, help each other when we need it, they are an amazing group of people!

Do you have any advice for incoming freshmen?
My advice for incoming freshman is to not stay in your dorm room all day. Go out and do some extracurriculars. For me, that is joining the Cougar Marching Band and its one of the best things I’ve done in my college experience so far!