WUSEA (Wittenberg University Student Education Association) is a campus club making a big impact on young students in the Springfield community.
While this club was created to get Wittenberg’s education majors out in the community, one does not have to be an education major to participate. As long as a passion for kids and education is present, membership in WUSEA is welcomed.
The club visits Ark, a faith-based after-school program where kindergarten through sixth grade students get homework help and participate in enrichment activities. Each semester, WUSEA is responsible for putting together a service project with Ark in Springfield. It also hosts a Scholastic Book Fair in Thomas Library each year as a fundraiser. The money goes toward its scholastic account to buy books for Ark.
“Dr. Seuss Week at the Ark last year is my favorite memory from my involvement in the club,” Maggie Peale, senior and vice president of programming for WUSEA, said. “It’s so fun to see kids get so excited about reading.”
The week dedicated to the popular author of children’s books takes place in March, when WUSEA members promote literacy by reading books by Dr. Seuss, play games and hold craft stations for the community’s youth.
WUSEA also holds professional development events such as the first-year teacher forum, which was just held on Nov. 28. This is one of its most popular events, in which the club invites Wittenberg graduates who are in their first year of full-time teaching back to campus to share their experiences.
“I think WUSEA is a support system especially within the education department because [the major] can be very stressful and overwhelming,” Peale said. “Having a group of people going through the same experience as you is very comforting.”
Another way WUSEA gives valuable experience for college students interested in education is by holding a student-teacher forum each spring, and allowing those involved the opportunity to have a leadership position. WUSEA executive positions include president, Michaela Bowler, ’17; vp membership, Coleen Kletzly, ’17; vp programming, Peale, ’17; and treasurer, Courtney Long, ’17.
Those seniors, along with other soon-to-be graduates, will take part in a WUSEA-sponsored senior education party which takes place at the end of every year. Here, senior members of the education department come together to present honors and reflect on their time in the department.
Students can visit the education department in Blair Hall to learn more about joining WUSEA to help grow the Springfield community through youth engagement.
