Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» Special Education Alumni, Nate Stone ’20, Describes His Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» Experience As A Special Education Major And His Current Position As An Intervention Specialist At Milford Junior High School.
1. What was your graduation year and major?
I graduated in 2020 with a bachelor's degree in Special Education.
2. What inspired you to pursue your major?
I pursued education because to me, teachers built the backbone of who I am today plus many others. They strive to bring out the potential in others, and that's who I wanted to be for my students.
3. Why did you choose the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»?
I chose the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» because it was close to home and it enabled me to keep pursuing my athletic career. From the first day I stepped on campus I felt welcomed by both staff and all of my coaches.
4. What field did you pursue after graduation? How was the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» instrumental in preparing you for your future career path?
I chose the role of an intervention specialist and a coach after I graduated. The Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» helped me develop skills that not only could help students with their academics, but also how to lead, how to show empathy, and how to develop relationships that last a lifetime.
5. Was there a professor/instructor that helped your development as a person?
One professor I remember in particular was Cindy Shibinski. She showed me the way and I can remember vividly what her words were to me when I left "You are going to make a difference". That really stuck with me and is my main goal with each of my students.
6. Did you co-op/intern? If so, where?
My student teaching experiences helped me develop into the educator I am today. I started my first practicum at C.O. Harrison elementary teaching 1st graders how to read, then went to the STRIDES unit at Westwood Elementary which taught me a lot about myself and my demeanor as a teacher, I then went to West Clermont High School which is kind of my "Alumni" and where I currently coach football, and then I ended at Milford Junior High for student teaching, where I am currently employed.
7. What was your involvement like at the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»? Extracurricular activities, major projects, etc. that you would like to share.
I played football at the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³». I had such a great experience playing under Coach Hopp and Coach Thompson who taught me so much more about the game itself. Shoutout to Coach Corrill for getting me there. I made memories that would last a lifetime and still hang out with the guys I played with.
8. How would you rate your education experience at the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³», and how was it a strong fit for you?
The Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» was a clear fit for me. I can't express how thankful I am for the experience. I got a great education, met great people, and it led me to doing what I love.