Get to Know: Selena Jackson-King ’22 (education)

During her sophomore year, Selena Jackson-King ’22 found herself in a situation many college students can relate to: deciding to switch her major. Jackson-King transferred into the School of Education and has had nothing but positive experiences since. “The professors and other students in the major are super easy to talk to and make the major even more fun than it already is,” she said. “It has already prepared me very well for my career’s next steps.”

A hallmark of the School of Education curriculum, Jackson-King immediately found herself in the field at a variety of different schools. This experience was beneficial “because it showed the different demographics of the area around me,” she said.

This field experience so early in her career has helped Jackson-King prepare for the day she has a classroom of her own. “The classes in the major really help build up your resources and knowledge for your own classroom,” she said. “They also really emphasize creating relationships with those around you, which I think is an important next step for my career.”

Jackson-King credits several professors within the School of Education for positively impacting her time within the School in a relatively short period. “I ask a lot of questions and I like to talk about the harder topics,” she said. “Professors like Dr. Crystal Thorpe and Dr. Jennifer Grace let those harder topics about the education system come to light. Both of these women have given me honest advice about my next moves in career choice due to their own experiences in the field.”

“Dr. [John] Somers pushed me to think outside of the box with projects and let the class really get to know one another since some of us were new to the major,” she added.

Jackson-King maintains an active presence on campus in addition to her academics. She is a member of the Black Student Association, participating in their events on campus and served as a resident assistant last year. “Being an RA was one of my favorite things that I’ve done on campus,” she said.

She focused on forming relationships with staff and students who lived in her dorm. The job helped teach her time management because she knew others were relying on her to do her job, and also allowed her to put her creativity and personality into practice, creating bulletin boards, flyers and programs based on the needs of the students who lived on her floor. “Even though last year ended abruptly, it’s one of the years that had the most impact on me,” she said.

Jackson-King hopes to “never work a day in my life” because she’s a firm believer that when you love what you do, you’re not working—and after switching her major to education, she believes she’s well on her way.