Transformational Scholar and Teaching Fellow Andrea Loera Valdez: ‘I Have a Supportive System of People Who Want to See Me Achieve My Dream of Becoming an Educator’

This is part of a “Meet Our Incoming Students” series in which the College of Education will introduce some of the first-year, transfer and graduate students who will join us this fall.

After attending the NC State College of Education’s Leadership Institute for Future Teachers (LIFT) as a high school student, Andrea Loera Valdez decided this was where she wanted to earn her degree.

Now, as an incoming Teaching Fellow and Transformational Scholar, she is excited to become part of a community that will prepare her to teach in eastern North Carolina, where she especially wants to support students who do not speak English as their first language.

The NC State College of Education’s Transformational Scholarships Program provides scholarships totaling $40,000 over four years to promising high school students from eastern North Carolina who will return to the region to teach after graduating from the college. Teaching Fellows receive up to $10,000 per year in forgivable loans to teach science, technology, engineering, mathematics, elementary or special education and engage in numerous opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Meet Andrea:

Hometown: Tarboro, North Carolina

Major: Elementary Education

Hobbies and Interests: Drawing/painting, sewing, gardening, working out, mending and wearing vintage (preferably 1950s) clothing.

Why did you choose NC State and the College of Education?

From the moment I stepped on campus to take part in the LIFT program, I loved the atmosphere. It felt like a place where I could learn to my fullest potential. Alumni and current scholars who felt their experience at NC State was excellent for their career growth also influenced me.

What inspired you to become a teacher and choose education?

I’ve always liked working with children and teaching, but wasn’t completely sure if I should be in the profession until I joined the Scholar Teacher program [at Edgecombe Early College High School]. This let me experience what being in the classroom felt like, and I loved it. In that class one of the first very important lessons we had was “what is your why?”

My “why” was related to being the child of two parents who moved from Tamaulipas, Mexico, and didn’t know much English. Eventually, they learned the language better, but until then, this impacted how we communicated with everyone, especially my teachers. I want to ensure the experiences I faced as a student due to a language barrier don’t occur for future scholars.

Why did you choose your major?

I chose elementary education because this was the area that was most impacted due to the language barrier my family and I faced.

What does it mean for you to be a Transformational Scholar?

It means so much as a first-generation college student. As a Transformational Scholar, I have a supportive system of people who want to see me achieve my dream of becoming an educator.

How will receiving this scholarship impact your student experience?

It’s truly been an honor to receive this scholarship. This opportunity will allow me and other Transformational Scholars to focus on making a lasting impact in our communities and, for that, I am truly grateful.

What are you most looking forward to about this year?

I am looking forward to meeting my fellow Transformational Scholars and discussing how we can make an impact on our communities by learning and growing together. I am also just overall excited for college in general, since everything has been a new experience for me and my family.