Samantha Duke: ‘Watching Pre-Service Teachers Grow As New Educators Is the Best Part of My Job and Reaffirms That I’m in the Right Place’

In her role as a graduate assistant with the NC State College of Education’s Transformational Scholarships Program, Samantha Duke has been able to help prepare pre-service teachers, while also earning her Ph.D. in the Teacher Education and Learning Sciences: Literacy and English Language Arts Education concentration.

As she completes her degree, she is excited to continue her growth as an effective teacher educator. 

Get to know Samantha:

What are your research interests?

Teacher preparation, critical literacy, peer mentoring, and digital equity and inclusion

What is the most meaningful moment you have had so far as a College of Education student?

With my graduate assistantship, I have the privilege of mentoring a group of pre-service teachers as they complete their undergraduate programs. Witnessing them in action in the classroom and helping them lesson plan, reflect on their observations and discuss their goals has been the most rewarding aspect of my experience as a graduate student in the College of Education. Watching pre-service teachers grow as new educators is the best part of my job and reaffirms that I’m in the right place and committed to the right career path.

What has been your favorite experience as a College of Education student so far?

During the summer of 2023, I was able to participate in the Part-Time Graduate Student Research Program and complete a research project with a faculty mentor. Through this valuable learning experience, I was able to develop my research skills, make connections on campus, and create data visualizations that my mentor shared to aid in their discussion of recruitment efforts. I was also able to present our findings at a statewide conference and am currently writing a journal article based on my continued analysis of the data.

Why do you still want to be an educator?

When I was a classroom teacher, my fellow teachers were my greatest source of support and inspiration. They helped me to solve my problems and challenged me to continuously find better ways to meet my students’ needs. I am working to become a teacher educator, so that I can provide that support to the next generation of teachers and nurture their confidence, creativity and passion for education.

What do you love about the College of Education?

I love the people I’ve met through the College of Education, especially my fellow graduate students. My classmates and I have collaborated on projects, commiserated through difficult assignments, helped each other to find research opportunities, listened and provided feedback on developing research interests and shared in one another’s joy with each small success.