Emily Jacobs
Graduation year: 2009
Post-grad: Curriculum and Instruction focus on Bilingual/ESL Education
Majors: Secondary education, history, Spanish
Campus activities: CA, Concert Band and private lessons, Chi Alpha Pi, Relay For Life, Honor Council
As a teacher, I am often reminded that I get my “summers off” but the truth is that in the fourteen years I have been in education, I have yet to take a full summer off. Just like teachers and other education professionals, college students have an open summer. But the underlying secret to feeling refreshed can be to use that precious time to engage your mind and your passions. There are some people who insist on making no plans so they have plenty of time to rest and relax. But there is a lesser-known group of us who choose to participate in enrichment opportunities. Why would we do this?! Because as Augustana students and alumni, we have a deep interest in the world around us and a drive to explore it. We know the power of transformational experiences and continue to seek them out throughout our life. We are committed to growing personally and professionally.
Starting in the summer after my first year at Augie when I studied abroad in Salamanca, Spain, I have been obsessed with travel, experiential learning and world exploration. In that time, I have attended teacher workshops at Ford’s Theater, Monticello, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, University of California Berkeley, the National Constitution Center, the USS Midway, the White House, presidential libraries, and more. These professional development opportunities are alive with the stories of renowned historians, awe-inspiring sites, and relevant global discussions. In the past several years, I have become a staff developer for AVID Center, working in cities across the U.S. to facilitate learning for my fellow teachers. These experiences have helped me feel invigorated by the company of fellow teachers who also love to learn and engage.
President Abraham Lincoln recognized it best when responding to a woman’s plea for him to find work for her eager sons. He wrote to Major Ramsay in 1861 that “wanting to work is so rare a merit, that it should be encouraged.” If you choose to spend your summer “working” by attending professional development, taking a class, working a new job, traveling or any other adventure, you will find encouragement and rejuvenation from the experience. It is inspiring to be around others who are positively moving their minds forward in the same enthusiastic way that you are. I urge you to spend your cherished summer free time by pushing your personal and professional boundaries, exploring new places, creatively relaxing from the grind of everyday life and reconnecting with your inner lifelong learner!
Emily Jacobs
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