Current Position: Second Grade Teacher at St. Rose of Lima with Independence Mission Schools
Cheltenham High School graduate Sofia Reisinger was introduced to GMercyU in 2019 by her mom while taking a gap year. She was really intrigued by the small campus feel of GMercyU.
“I was looking for a school where you could walk around campus and recognize faces,” Sofia said.
As a transfer student during the pandemic, Sofia had not visited campus prior to her first in-person class in fall 2021.
Why Education?
Prior to transferring to GMercyU, Sofia was a Biobehavioral Health major. When she chose to attend GMercyU, she rethought her major and settled on Education.
“I chose Education because both of my parents are teachers. Also, at that point I had been teaching volleyball and swim lessons for about six years and I absolutely loved it,” Sofia said.
Experience in Education
“I had a really good experience in the Education program at GMercyU. I was genuinely caught off guard the first time one of my professors recognized me outside of the classroom and waved at me,” Sofia said. “I really love how much professors cared so deeply about their students.”
Sofia frequently looks back on her time in Professor Pierantozzi’s “Science Methods” course and has fond memories of the knowledge she learned and the fun she had as well.
My favorite part of GMercyU was definitely how my professors interacted with us. It was such a professional, yet special bond. That is a very hard balance to achieve, but they managed to do it anyway.
Teacher Apprentice Program (TAP) and Student Teaching
As an Education major, Sofia participated in TAP, a program that allowed her to be in a classroom setting starting the first semester. Her first placement was with the Bucks County Intermediate Unit (BCIU) in a level 4 Autism support classroom. While the experience was different and sometimes difficult, Sofia had an amazing experience with the students. She also spent time in an Autism support classroom within the Methacton School District.
Sofia’s final field placement was at Walton Farm within the North Penn School District.
“I had the most wonderful opportunity to work with Caitlyn Manus who is the best ESL teacher for the building. She helped me tremendously on how to organize myself and my future classroom,” Sofia shared. “I had such a wonderful experience with her that after I graduated in December, I went right to London, England to get a CELTA certification (certificate of teaching English language to adults).”
Why GMercyU?
I would recommend GMercyU to a student who is looking to dive as deep in to their major as possible since professors here are very passionate and knowledgeable. I would also recommend GMercyU for how safe and welcoming the campus feels no matter the time of day.
Post-Graduation
After earning her degree in May 2024, Sofia began teaching the second grade at St. Rose of Lima with the Independence Mission Schools. She was drawn to Independence Mission Schools because their mission to support underserved communities resonated with Sofia.
“I am looking forward to implementing all of my practice and knowledge in my classroom and learning more from the other teachers in my building. I want to be the best teacher I can be, so the goal is to never stop learning,” Sofia shared.
