The Impact of UNITE
Abigail Wegner, CfUT Alumni
In 2016, we interviewed a UNITE attendee that first heard about CfUT from a class talk and then signed up to attend the UNITE conference. The UNITE conference was the first time she got to see what CfUT is all about. Abby graduated in May of 2017 and she is currently a teacher at St. Marcus.
1) What motivated you to come to the Conference?
Dr. Ray Dusseau came to one of my education classes and talked to my peers and me about The Center for Urban Teaching. He spoke so passionately about the children and the workers in the program. I’ve been very interested in urban education but, being in Mankato, I didn’t know how to go about being a part of it. After hearing Dr. Dusseau speak, I knew that CFUT could offer me an incredible experience that I had to take advantage of.
2) What was your very first impression of CfUT?
My very first impression of CFUT was at the Conference. Everyone leading the conference was full of energy and so excited about everything CFUT had to offer. At first it was overwhelming, but it was so infectious that soon everyone was just as enthusiastic as the leaders were. They were also very informative about strategies we could implement in the classroom. This showed me that they want to ensure success for all their teachers and were giving them the tools to be just that.
3) What was your biggest take-away from the Conference?
The biggest take away I had from the conference was to love children for who they are and help them thrive. There are going to be days in the teaching profession that are really hard and seem impossible. However, everything that we, the teachers, do is to ensure the students success and help them earn a better future. The key to helping them achieve this is by loving them for who they are and assisting them through life.
4) What from CfUT did you want to take back to Bethany?
Through this conference I was inspired to start a cohort at Bethany Lutheran College. Therefore I wanted to take back as much as I could from the conference. I have been telling my peers about what CfUT stands for and the opportunities they could gain from it. I want my peers to graduate with as much experience and resources in teaching as they can, because not only will they be creating successful students but helping themselves reach success.