Greear’s internship placement was facilitated by the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) and the Division of Professional Practice (DoPP), which are working together to broaden opportunities for the increasing number of Tech students interested in exploring careers in education. Nearly 300 of last year’s freshman applicant pool expressed an interest in teaching, up from just 20 the year before.

“Because Tech doesn’t have a college of education, students who wanted to become teachers had volunteer opportunities and classes they could take, but no way to truly explore the experience of being a teacher,” said Tech Pre-Teaching Advisor Susan Belmonte, who collaborated with the principal at Centennial Place to create the internship.

Enabled by Centennial Place’s year-round schedule, Greear has been privy to the closeout of one academic year and the summer preparations for the next. She has observed in the classroom, helped conduct reading comprehension testing, and participated in interviewing new teachers, which gave her insight into preparing for her own future job search. She’ll get more classroom time again in August when the internship will culminate with her teaching for a week.  

“Everyone is really supportive of each other — kids, teachers, and staff alike,” Greear said. “I already know that leaving in August is going to be very difficult and sad, and I am already trying to work out my schedule for fall so that I can come volunteer at the school in my free time.”  

Belmonte hopes to grow the internship next year to place two students at Centennial Place, and eventually establish middle and high school internships as well.