天美传媒

by Cecil Harris

After earning a graduate degree and a teaching certification at , Christina Campanile, M.S. 鈥�13, found a job she loved鈥攖eaching special education students at a Queens, New York, public school.

However, Campanile wanted to broaden her perspective on education鈥攁nd her experience in Adelphi鈥檚 encouraged her to embrace change. Hence, she left her job at P.S. 129 and will teach English to Spanish-speaking students in , until July 2015.

鈥淚 like to step out of my comfort zone,鈥� said Campanile, who is teaching abroad as part of a program sponsored by the , a nonprofit organization she learned about while attending Adelphi. 鈥淚 know that I鈥檓 not guaranteed a job when I come back to New York. But this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I鈥檒l be more skilled when I come back because I鈥檒l be fluent in Spanish. jobs are easier to find if you鈥檙e bilingual.鈥�

A native of Merrick, New York, Campanile arrived in Spain in October 2014 with a working knowledge of , as well as an and a teaching certification in literacy, birth through grade 12, from Adelphi. She had received a bachelor鈥檚 degree in and teaching certifications in , grades 1 through 6, and special education, grades 1 through 6, from Marist College.

When time came to apply to graduate school, her choices were Hofstra University, Queens College and Adelphi.

鈥淭he people I met at Adelphi were a lot more cooperative than at the other schools,鈥� she said.

Campanile spent two semesters in the , where she found a mentor in program director Maryellen Rafferty.

鈥淪he鈥檚 influential in the way I teach literacy,鈥� Campanile said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 knowledgeable about the profession and she鈥檚 one of the most organized people I鈥檝e ever met.鈥�

Rafferty said she has no doubt Campanile will continue to excel as a teacher.

鈥淧erhaps because of Christina鈥檚 background in special education, she has that innate quality to know what children need,鈥� Rafferty said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 more sensitive to the differently able.鈥�

Campanile also has enough self-awareness to know when it鈥檚 time for a change.

鈥淪panish culture teaches people to live in the moment and have faith that everything will work out,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how I鈥檓 approaching this opportunity.鈥�