What Our Grads Say

Jody Otabara '15

I was first introduced to Gates Chili Middle School through an OPE my sophomore year at Roberts. I was nervous and unsure of myself, but my professors and the RWC staff believed in me. As a result of the OPE I made a connection with a teacher that asked me back as a student teacher my senior year. My student teaching supervisor and RWC professors continued to cheer me on. In the 2015-2016 school year I worked at a teaching assistant in the In-School Suspension room. This experience along with the excellent preparation from Roberts has led me to a full-time probationary position as a Social Studies teacher in Gates Chili Middle School. If not for the RWC Education Department and its efforts to get its students into classrooms as underclassmen, I would not be where I am today.

Kayla Saff '12

I transferred to Roberts as a sophomore to complete my Bachelor’s degree in Spanish Adolescence Education. It wasn’t long until I realized that I would have to study abroad to receive my final Spanish credits needed to obtain my degree.

Initially, I had no desire to study abroad. I actually tried to do everything in my power to avoid it. But, before I knew it, I was in Spain where I would be spending the next five months of my life. After a serious culture shock and some adjustments, I quickly found out that there is no better way to learn another language than by fully immersing yourself in that culture. My experience abroad was life changing for me!

A year and a half after studying abroad, I crossed that stage at Roberts Wesleyan College and received my diploma, not knowing where this next chapter in my life would take me. I immediately began the job hunt and submitting my job applications. I went to three different interviews and I was offered three different jobs. One of the jobs involved working as an Administrative Assistant at a Migrant Education Program. The other two were jobs teaching high school Spanish, one of which was at my alma mater. I currently work as a high school Spanish teacher at Falconer Central School. I now enter those halls as a teacher and no longer a student. I am so blessed to have a job where I love what I do.

My experience abroad and my time at Roberts gave me the confidence that I needed to speak the language, and the stories that now spark my students’ curiosity and keep them excited about the language and culture.