I was born on an island in the South Pacific called Western Samoa. I am proud to be a Samoan and am honored to share a brief anecdote of my experiences. I have six children and am an active Foster Parent upholding an effective License from the Office of Children Services (OCS) in Anchorage, Alaska. I enjoy reading, writing, dancing and fishing in the summer.
I worked as an Administrative Assistant at the AHAINA Student Program at the University of Alaska, Anchorage (UAA). During my five years there, I assisted students from different cultures. I then transferred to another Administrative Assistance position in the Human Services Department for the Graduate Program at UAA for two years. Working among students throughout my whole professional careers, I began to realize that Education was always my passion. If I wanted to assist students in an academic environment, I knew that had to prepare myself to become an effective teacher in the future.
I received my AAS degree in Computer Science, Concentrating in Computer Business Application at the Charter College. Soon after, I also received a B.A. degree in Human Services at the Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage, Alaska. In addition to my two undergraduate degrees, I have received three certificates from the Charter College as a Computer Specialist, Computer Accounting Specialist and a Computer Business Manager.
Currently, I am working at Denali Montessori Elementary School as a bilingual tutor in the English Language Learners Program (ELLP). I have been with the Anchorage School District (ASD) for five years. While working with ELL students, I began to see a bit of myself in them. Each student is very special and unique with great desire to learn and be successful in life.
I began the MAT in January 2010 Cohort and am still fighting alongside my USC colleagues to reach my academic goals. The MAT@USC Program is unique because it can reach anyone around the world. It is also an online program that is convenient for my work schedule and my family. I was initially interested in the program because it embodied my educational needs and included a range of different pedagogy strategies that I have learned from some of the previous classes that I participated.
As a Samoan woman in the MAT program, I believe that success breeds success! I hope to inspire my students to succeed as a product of this marvelous program.
Let’s Go Trojans! Fight On!
