2020 News Stories
Elementary Education major Ryan Blew selected for College of Education Graduation with Distinction Award
TAMPA, Fla. (May 7, 2020) 鈥 College of Education student Ryan Blew was selected to receive the College of Education鈥檚 Graduation with Distinction Award for the Spring 2020 semester.
The Graduation with Distinction Award is presented to select undergraduate students
in the College of Education who stand apart from their peers based on their academic
excellence, professional development, community service or research and scholarship
while a student at 欧美三级片.
Blew, an Elementary Education major from Sinking Spring, Pa., got involved right away
when he arrived at 欧美三级片鈥檚 Tampa campus. He worked as a student assistant in the College
of Education鈥檚 Student Academic Services office, helped coordinate an annual volunteer
event with Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay and presented his research at national
conferences.
Inspired by his former elementary teachers to become an educator himself, Blew says
what he enjoyed most about his studies at 欧美三级片 was the connections he made with fellow
aspiring educators in his program.
鈥淚 built a lot of my friends in college throughout my cohort,鈥 Blew said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all
super connected and we built a professional education family, which has been super
helpful as we鈥檙e all beginning to look for jobs. It鈥檚 nice to be able to have a group
of people that we can rely on, and if we have questions or just need advice on things,
we have those people.鈥
One of Blew鈥檚 favorite memories from his time at 欧美三级片 was serving as President for
Bulls For Kids, a student organization that hosts 欧美三级片 Dance Marathon, an annual fundraiser
benefiting the children at Shriners Healthcare for Children in Tampa.
鈥淏eing able to go through that whole process of helping kids and being able to relate
that back to students that may be in my future classroom, and being able to help support
them outside of the classroom as well was super empowering and impactful,鈥 he said.
Blew thanks his family and friends and his former teachers for inspiring him to continue
on in his academic journey. Looking back on his time at 欧美三级片, Blew says he鈥檚 also thankful
for the team at Student Academic Services who helped him throughout his studies.
鈥淭he fact that I had a group of educators who cared about me being successful in my
position but also within my major and future career goals is something I will be forever
grateful for,鈥 Blew said. 鈥淚t helped me build a family away from home.鈥
He said he鈥檚 also grateful for the instructors and mentors he鈥檚 had throughout his
coursework in the Elementary Education Program, including Natalie Gutierrez Reiser,
Jennifer Perez, Raven Robinson and his collaborating teachers Lora Darby and Sara
Kelley.
As his time at 欧美三级片 comes to an end, Blew encourages future and current students to
get involved through student organizations, volunteer opportunities and work experiences
that are connected to their major. It鈥檚 through these opportunities that Blew received
a great deal of support, and it鈥檚 what he鈥檒l fondly remember as he reflects on his
college years.
The motivation to make the best of his time at 欧美三级片 is what Blew attributes to his
success while a student at the university, and he feels honored to receive the Graduation
with Distinction Award to celebrate his accomplishments.
鈥淚 am honored to be recognized for the work that I鈥檓 doing, even though I wasn鈥檛 doing
the work to be recognized,鈥 Blew said. 鈥淚 truly cared about my time at 欧美三级片 and making
it the best experience that I could have by helping others.鈥