Class of 2023
Multiple Subject Credential + MAT Program
CLASS OF 2023
Lina Alhajj
Hi Everyone! I am a recent graduate from California State University, Fullerton. I am a Child and Adolescent Development major with years of experience working with children.
Teaching has always been my passion and I am extremely grateful to be starting this journey here at UCI. I can not wait to see where this journey leads me.
To my future cohort,
With the right guidance, children will change the world, one thought at a time, one child at a time, and one community at a time. If we want to change our world for the better, children need to know that they deserve the right to believe they are capable of incredible things.
Hobbies
Working out
cooking
Painting
About me:
• UCI c/o 2018
• B.A. in Education Sciences
- specialization in Early
Childhood Education
• First-gen college student
• Mexican-American
• Born and raised in Santa
Ana, CA
• Fourth year working as a
Biliterate Instructional
Assistant for SAUSD
• Do 1:1 tutoring after school
Alina Alvarez
I love:
• Spending time with my
family and boyfriend
(family is everything!)
• Traveling to Mexico
• Listening to music
• Watching The Office and
Friends
• Going to Disneyland/DCA
• Coffee
• Trying out new restaurants
Hi, everyone! As a future educator I hope to become a positive role model for low-income minority students, especially those in the Latino community. I aspire to create a safe, nurturing, and equitable classroom. I am excited for our new journey together! ☺️
Alejandra Atilano
I will bring quality instructional practices molded from my college education and the shared Hispanic experience to break generational barriers and empower students in low-income communities!
I am…
I enjoy…
I'd like you to know…
Breanna Bowers (she/her/hers)
Hey y’all! I’m excited to meet and get to know everyone
About Me:
I LOVE:
of all your doggos )
My Italian Greyhounds:
Valentina and Bella
Goals:
I believe teaching first starts by creating a warm and accepting environment within the classroom. I want to ensure that all children
feel welcomed into my classroom no matter their background! Their mental health is my biggest priority. I want school to become a place where students value and enjoy their time.
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Shelby Brown
About Me:
Natalia M. Casillas Pérez
About Me:
My boyfriend and cat!
Catherine Chan
I graduated from UCI Class of 2019 with a B.A. in Education Sciences and a B.A. in Psychology and Social Behavior.
Currently I am an Instructional Assistant in a Kindergarten Classroom.
I’m from San Diego, CA but I’ve been living in Irvine since I graduated.
I enjoy running, puzzles, board games, cooking, and baking.
I love spending time with my family and friends.
I’m excited to meet all of you and start this journey together! I look forward to learning with and from each other as we become better educators.
JAMIE CINCO
School Background + Interest!
Education Sciences & Asian American Studies in just 3 years!
Quick Facts!
This is my family!
My boyfriend, Eric!
My nieces!
My mom & my brother!
Me!
Gabby Crank
About Me:
Things I enjoy:
Hi everyone! I am beyond excited to share this experience with all of you! Go Anteaters!
Feel free to connect!
IG: _gabbycrank
Yvonne Cruz
I am so excited to be here and meet everyone! I am looking forward to learning and growing with you all on our path to becoming educators. I’ve had a variety of experiences working with children K-6th (mostly primary) and I can’t wait for us to share our knowledge with each other!
About me:
Noah Davis
About me
My goal is to create a classroom environment where every student feels loved and heard. I am very passionate about ensuring every child has the necessary support and guidance they need to reach their academic goals. I love learning about inclusive and unique teaching strategies that will allow every child to be successful.
Kristin Dominic
Hobbies
Friends
Family
My dog Lucy
Sunsets at the beach
Tiara Dorta
About Me
Favorite Things!
ME :)
Hi everyone, I can’t wait to meet you all! I have known I wanted to be a teacher since I was eleven years old when I became a teacher’s assistant at my church. My dream is to become a bilingual elementary school teacher! I believe every student is capable of succeeding and I also believe the Spanish language is a powerful tool in the classroom!
Hi everyone! It is so lovely to have the opportunity to learn and grow by your side. I am excited to see what our future has in store for us!
Hometown: Petaluma, CA
Occupation: Substitute teacher
Undergrad: Chapman University, Orange, CA
Major: Integrated Educational Studies
Minors: Psychology; Law, Justice and Social Control
I love: books, hiking, biking, making jewelry, going to local markets, thrifting, and simply being in the sun.
I am passionate about: reforming the criminal justice system through correctional education.
Fun fact: I’ve never had a brain freeze 🤷🏽♀️
Text me!: (707)775-8238
Alisa Dreyer (she/her)
Mackenzie Fahie
(she/her/hers)
Phone: (949) 697-5395
Email: missfahie.teaches@gmail.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mackenzie-fahie/
About Me:
One of the classrooms I teach in
Hello everyone! I am so excited to get to know you and grow as future teachers together. Please do not hesitate to reach out/connect, I would love to meet you all! 😊
Some of my 3rd grader’s Scratch projects!
Emily Flores
Work &
School Life
Fun Stuff!
Spencer
(my boyfriend)
Avery
(my brother)
Mimi
(my grandma)
Sugar & Daisy
Elena Gacek
Amanda Gade
About me:
As a future educator, it is my goal to lead with hard work, empathy, and kindness. I am passionate about creating a classroom environment where each of my students feel loved and accepted for who they are. I am very excited to meet everyone and to begin UCI’s MAT program!
Me and my dog, Sammy!
Me and my sister, Allie!
Me and my mom!
About Me
Monica Gomez
I enjoy reading to my kiddos, biking, baking/cooking for the holidays, and decorating for birthdays
I aspire to foster a positive environment in my classroom in which students have unconditional support. As a role model to students I intend to demonstrate kindness, joy and respect, therefore nurturing a healthy and inspirational learning experiences for all.
About Me:
Annie Grover
I look forward to meeting all of you!
Diana Jazmine Hernandez
About Me:
Hobbies/Interests:
Jessica Hernandez (she/her/ella)
Hello everyone my name is Jessica Hernandez. I am a first generation college student graduating from CSUF this May (Go Titans!). I will graduate with a B.S. in Child and Adolescent Development with a concentration in elementary education and a B.A. in Women and Gender Studies. I am passionate about education and educational activism. I want to become a voice of hope for my students and advocate for their success and needs.
About me:
About Me
Hobbies:
Andrew Ho
RECENT TRIP TO NYC
DISNEYLAND!
MY FAMILY
Pinky Ho
IG: @mlpinkpinky
about me:
hobbies/interests
As a future educator, I am eager to create a classroom where all students feel safe, loved and heard and to supports students, regardless of their background and abilities, to find success in the classroom. It is my goal for students in my class to gain a love for learning but more importantly, I want to instill confidence in my students that they are capable, respected, and loved human beings.
Hobbies & Interests:
I cannot wait to learn from all of you and be a part of this cohort! I am excited to be going back to UCI and to learn how to be the best educator. As a future educator, my goal is ensure every student feels seen and heard; and to provide a safe and welcoming environment for each of them to thrive and learn.
I am still very interested in my Political Science background; I would love to study and advocate for education policy.
About me:
Hi, I’m Holly Hollmann
Estefania Hurtado
Passion/hobbies:
About me:
My sister Diana!
My mom and I
My nephew Charlie!
My PC
Shannon Klüg
My dog Hazel <3
fam!
my own spanish immersion kinder class from 2007 :)
me
About me:
SLO this June 2022
TESOL and Linguistics
concentration
to Mexico + Central America, exploring outdoors, being with
friends/family, and cooking!
I am excited to be a part of the growth of DLI schools, as I believe they greatly benefit their communities. In the classroom I see linguistic and cultural diversity as a great asset and I will always work to create equality in the classroom. I hope to develop students to be kind and compassionate global citizens.
Emma Kremer
About me…
I love engaging with children and feel inspired by their intense honesty, their uninhibited love of life, and the delight with which they look at the world around them. Overall, they reflect my belief that humans are innately good and capable of making positive impacts on our planet.
Goals in the classroom…
Janet Lin
(she/her/hers)
About Me:
Favorite Things/ Hobbies:
My desire to go into teaching is rooted in my own love of learning and my want to make a difference in the lives of students. I am passionate about creating a welcoming, safe, and inclusive environment for all students to feel comfortable and empowered in their learning!
I cannot wait to meet everyone and learn, collaborate, and grow with you all!!
About Melanie Macias
I am excited to grow alongside you all during this upcoming year! Being a Spanish/English bilingual, I hope to inspire kids to grow within their languages and cultures! My goal is to one day reform the education system for multilingual students in my hometown.
What I love:
Sam Majewski
“Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.” -- Groucho Marx
Maverick
AKA “Big Woofer”
One of the great joys of teaching is seeing students’ ability to express themselves grow over time. Regardless of the subject—whether it’s math or history— it is always gratifying when students grasp a key concept, take on a challenging problem, or, with insatiable curiosity, ask questions.
Jocelyne Mendez
About Me
Hobbies & Interests
*From Menifee, CA
*Graduated from UCR ‘20 with a BA in Psychology and Minor in Education
*First Generation College Student
*Currently working as a K-8th Substitute Teacher
I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember, and I am so excited to begin this journey surrounded by other passionate individuals. I am excited to collaborate and strive towards creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for students to thrive in! I am so excited to meet you all and grow into wonderful teachers together!
Sarah Mercado
Hobbies:
*Spending time with my friends and family (and cats)
*Painting and Crocheting :)
*Traveling
*Disneyland
*Being in nature!
HMU :)
IG: sarah_mercado
My nephews!
Me and my momma :)
About Me
Im graduating from UCI this spring with my undergraduate degree in Education Science. I've lived in California all my life. I love the natural beauty and how we get mountains, deserts, beaches, and forests all in one state!! I'm the 3rd sister of 4 sisters and all our names start with T’s.
Tori Mikkelson
This is Salem my little baby boy. His bday is on halloween!
Hobbies/Interests: gardening, crocheting, hiking, camping, road trips, going to the beach, cooking
My goal in the classroom is to foster a comfortable learning environment that has a student-driven curriculum, and helps my students become good citizens in our community. As a feminsit, I want to empower female students towards male-dominated fields like computer science and engineering. I want to lift POC voices in my classroom and teach respect and equity.
I love gardening and my favorite thing to grow is sunflowers and poppy flowers.
About me:
Jasmine Moret
As a Psychology major at UCI, I focused on child psychology, especially child development psychology. I am so excited to apply what I learned about children’s psyche to what I will learn in the MAT program! I am so passionate about teaching being not just being about conveying information to students, but also about helping children find who they are! I can’t wait to grow with all of you throughout this program as we all go through this together! Congrats everyone!!!!
Jordan Murayama
I am mixed race! My mom is White and my dad is Asian (Japanese)!
My cats: Sparkle, Shimmer, and Kaspar
My Roommates
I am a dancer! These are from recent rehearsals for Spring Dance 2022!
My Friends
My Background
I am:
I enjoy . . .
-Creativity
- Family
- Teaching
-Music
- Hiking
What I bring . . .
- I’ve scaffold lessons Spanish speakers.
- Currently, observing at a 3rd Grade classroom.
- Offer teamwork & perspectives
I found my passion for teaching as a music instructor.
My dream is to be a k-5th Bilingual Elementary
School Teacher!
I want to share . . .
Hello, I’m Shirley Nieto.
Huy Nguyen
About me:
Recent trip to Chicago!
Hobbies/Interests:
Family & Friends!
My girlfriend, Elise!
Elizabeth Ocampo
Hi!
I am a UCR Alumni Liberal Studies major. I am first generation Mexican - American. Currently working as a Substitute Teacher in Anaheim, CA on the weekdays and I’m also a Starbucks Supervisor on the weekends. I love travelling, my favorite place in the world is New York mostly because of my love of theatre.
I’m so excited to meet everyone! See ya soon!
SLIDESMANIA.COM
Litzi Ocampo
About me:
Education/Work:
Hobbies/interests:
Me and my siblings
Family
Friends
Megan O’Kelley
About me:
Fun facts:
Career goals:
Samantha Omiya
I absolutely fell in love with teaching when I became an instructional assistant in the midst of COVID. I am passionate about creating an inclusive, safe, and fun environment to keep kids stimulated and motivated in the classroom. My own students are my biggest motivators. Their constant optimism and eagerness to learn is my biggest motivation to be the best version of myself, always.
I can’t wait to begin this journey with all of you!
My Background:
Things I Enjoy:
Things to Share:
Cohort Qualities:
Amanda Oyama
Sarai Pacheco
About me:
Personal Hobbies/Enjoyment
I am looking forward to working with everyone in my cohort so that we learn and grow together to become excellent educators!
Yuna Park
About me:
Hello Everyone! I’m so excited for this opportunity to work toward becoming future teachers with you all! Feel free to reach out~
Ig @Imayunacorn
Jessica Pham
about me
✿ from laguna niguel, CA
✿ graduated UCLA 2020 with a B.A.in english & a concentration in creative writing
✿ vietnamese-american
✿ currently working as an instructional assistant for kindergarten!
hobbies & interests
✿ reading and writing
✿ baking
✿ going to concerts
✿ finding new coffee shops & food places
✿ traveling and nature
so excited to learn and grow with you all!
she/her
About Me
Madelyn Rairdon
My roommate Grace and I
Kelsey Robbins
(She/her)
Showing off the kiddos’ structural engineering at Brickfest
Teaching after school at Santiago Elementary
I love to turn baking into a science project and spend time outside in natural places.
I’ll be bringing to the program my experiences in schools across LA and Orange counties. As well as a commitment to work toward ending the disparities I’ve seen through my work.
Me with my husband, who is actually quite sweet despite what his face is saying here
Our dog is impersonating a pizza roll
About me:
These are a few of my favorite things:
Esmeralda Rodriguez (She/Her/Hers)
I am most excited to collaborate and learn from others who are as passionate about education and teaching as I am! While I have been fortunate enough to work with grades K-12, I am very excited to take on a bigger role in the classroom as a student teacher! I am very excited to meet everyone!
Etati Sanchez
About Me
Hobbies
Hi everyone, nice to meet you all! I’ve been an Instructional Assistant for 4 years and I’m so excited to take the next step & become a teacher!
Sarah Staffieri
About Me…
I am super excited to meet everyone and work together in this cohort!
My personal educational philosophy is that every student has the ability to be successful and it’s my job to provide them with everything they need to cross their personal finish line.
Makenna Toumaian
About me:
I am passionate about creating inclusive and effective educational experiences for all students and fostering a value for life-long learning among my future students! I love being part of a tight-knit, supportive, and collaborative community, so I can’t wait to get to know and begin working with you all!!
My ‘nephews’, Mackey and Luca
I love watching the sunset!
This is my older sister!
Phone #: 310-902-6252
IG:@makennatoumaian
I am also looking for someone to live with around UCI, so I would love to chat if anyone else is too! :)
GAYON YANG [pronounced Kah-Yan]
I love to travel. I’ve been to Azerbaijan, Russia, Japan, China, the US, Canada, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Georgia (EU), Armenia, Egypt,
There are many places I want to visit: Mongolia, South Africa, more of Russia, more of China, more of the US, Nepal, Tajikistan, the Antarctica, … the list goes on!
He is my grandpa, a.k.a. my favorite person in the whole world.
This was at St. Basil Cathedral in Moscow, Russia!
GINA YUN
-Korean-American
-graduated UCSD ‘21 w/ B.S in Education Sciences in 3 years!
-currently work at a christian private school as a preschool teacher’s aide in San Diego
-born and raised in Maryland/Virginia, but moved to Diamond Bar, CA in middle school
-love nature, cafes, eating good food, golfing, running/working out, spending time with loved ones
-fun fact: went on a one month mission trip to Nicaragua & taught english there
-Passionate in creating a safe and inclusive classroom where I can empower students to recognize their value & potential while constantly reminding them how precious they are(:
super excited to meet you all~
Taylor Wise
About me …
I am thrilled to be a part of this program and I cannot wait to make new connections & exchange knowledge and teaching philosophies with my cohort!
With my background in Child Development, naturally my teaching philosophy takes root in multiple disciplines. Specifically my focus is to incorporate social and emotional intelligence/health/well-being into the classroom to create a sturdy foundation for academic success & beyond. We have the massive responsibility of teaching young kids how to become functioning adults of our future society, and with that I want our future generation to be sensitive and accepting to others who are different from them and confident in themselves to become successful in their future endeavors.
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In the K-6 classroom:
Teacher - Spanish Dual Immersion
Mentor Teacher to UCI MAT Students
Math Coach
Teacher on Special Assignment
I am:
I’m so excited to meet you all and to support you during this amazing journey!
Myuriel von Aspen - Multiple Subject Coordinator
traveling, reading, running, hiking, teaching!