June 16, 2018 | UHCL Staff
Samantha Ruelas was one of over 80 University of Houston-Clear Lake teacher certification candidates who received her diploma on May 20 and participated in UH-Clear Lake’s first Teacher Induction Ceremony, held on May 16.
Ruelas, who received her Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with English as a Second Language Supplemental Certification for Early Childhood-6th grade, said that she felt that participating in the ceremony was a great way to integrate her family into the university. “My daughter Ali sees what it’s like to be at a university,” Ruelas said. “She sacrificed a lot for me to get my education too, and it’s inspired her to want to become a teacher when she grows up. I think she understands the important of getting an education and doing your best in life.”
Assistant Professor of Special Education and Chairman of the New Teacher Mentoring Initiative Elizabeth Beavers said she hoped the teacher induction ceremony would become a new semester tradition. ““The purpose of the ceremony is to celebrate the accomplishments of these teacher candidates and to assure them that we will remain vested in their success through the implementation of a new mentoring program that is designed to offer multiple pathways to access ongoing support by College of Education faculty,” she said.
Along the way, Ruelas said that Associate Professor of Education Lillian McEnery had been particularly helpful to her. “Dr. McEnery was very motivational for me,” she said. “I remember once, I met with her at a time during the semester when I was really tired and lacked motivation. She really challenged me and helped me grow as a future teacher.”
Ruelas transferred to UHCL from Alvin Community College in 2015 and resides in Alvin. She hopes to begin her teaching career in either Alvin Independent School District or another school district in the area.
For more information about UHCL’s College of Education, visit www.uhcl.edu/education/.
