Alexis Stackhouse小蝌蚪APP檚 longtime commitment to volunteering led her to major in middle school education at the 小蝌蚪APP.
小蝌蚪APP淚小蝌蚪APP檓 always putting other people before me, and that makes me feel good. Putting a smile on someone else小蝌蚪APP檚 face, like when I小蝌蚪APP檓 volunteering, it's not for me 小蝌蚪APP it小蝌蚪APP檚 for the people I小蝌蚪APP檓 helping, and I love to see that.小蝌蚪APP
Alexis started volunteering at summer camps when she was a freshman in high school, and that love for helping others led to her nursing before she realized education was her passion.
小蝌蚪APP淚 took some education classes and I was like, 'Yes, this is it. This is my purpose,'小蝌蚪APP Alexis said.
Her freshman year at UL Lafayette, Alexis started volunteering at New Hope Tutoring in the afternoons, and that solidified her career choice as a middle school teacher.
小蝌蚪APP淵ou're always going to have a job in education,小蝌蚪APP she said. 小蝌蚪APP淚 love that stability, and I love that you小蝌蚪APP檙e able to do something that you truly love while you小蝌蚪APP檙e impacting other people."
小蝌蚪APP淲ithout teachers, you don小蝌蚪APP檛 have these other jobs, other occupations. So I wanted to make a difference in someone小蝌蚪APP檚 life, and I felt through teaching, that小蝌蚪APP檚 my way of changing the world and making my impact on the world.小蝌蚪APP
In the , which is part of the middle school education curriculum, Alexis observes in local schools to prepare her for student teaching.
小蝌蚪APP淵ou observe the students, and you observe the teachers in the grade levels you want to teach. You小蝌蚪APP檙e observing through their actions, how the students respond, and writing notes down,小蝌蚪APP she explained.
In her classes on UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 campus, Alexis enjoys learning from professors小蝌蚪APP experiences.
小蝌蚪APP淲e all talk as future educators and that has helped me open my perspective of so many things. The instructors and professors are all previous teachers and administrators, so they know 小蝌蚪APP they've actually done it,小蝌蚪APP she said. 小蝌蚪APP淣etworking with them, and them being honest about their experiences, that is what is going to help me persevere in this career.小蝌蚪APP
Getting Involved on Campus
When Alexis moved to Lafayette from New Orleans, she knew very few people from home 小蝌蚪APP so she decided to join student organizations.
The first organization she joined was the , and now she小蝌蚪APP檚 their vice president.
小蝌蚪APP淚 know we小蝌蚪APP檙e at a predominantly white institution, so I joined them because they looked like me, and I knew they were for me. There was nothing but intelligent, strong, beautiful black women in this organization and I wanted to be a part of that,小蝌蚪APP Alexis said. 小蝌蚪APP淭he mentors I小蝌蚪APP檝e gained from this organization, the professional development and going to conferences 小蝌蚪APP so many opportunities have come from this."
小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 allowed me connect with people on so many different levels 小蝌蚪APP on campus and even outside the 小蝌蚪APP. I was able to meet a fellow teacher, and she took me under her wing and let me shadow her while gaining some good advice about my career," Alexis said. "It小蝌蚪APP檚 great to meet people and also be able to influence other women.小蝌蚪APP
Alexis is also the director of event planning for , a peer advisor for the Academic Success Center, and a member of the , the , and was previously a .
Balancing her schoolwork, her volunteering, and her involvement on campus has taught Alexis a lot.
小蝌蚪APP淚t also teaches you time management and how to multitask 小蝌蚪APP we do study hall, meetings, community service, and fun bonding events 小蝌蚪APP but it forces you to stay on top of your work because you can小蝌蚪APP檛 go to those things if you小蝌蚪APP檙e stuck doing work," she said. "From my own experience, I小蝌蚪APP檝e had to bring work with me on the go 小蝌蚪APP and that is okay, because we are students first.小蝌蚪APP
