Student Spotlight: Rana Becker
Why do you want to be a teacher or be involved in education?
I have dedicated my life and career to working with young people and have over a decade of experience working in the youth development field with middle and high school students. I especially enjoy working with this age group—I love their creativity, energy, enthusiasm, and curiosity. It is so rewarding to encourage them to develop their passions, interests, and critical thinking skills as they become young adults. I have had the privilege to support the growth and development of many young people over the years, and this work inspired me to become a secondary school teacher. I look forward to serving students in a classroom setting while helping to instill a love of learning and equipping them with the knowledge and skills they need to be successful as they learn to navigate the world and shape our future. I am fortunate to have had wonderful teachers and mentors who invested in me, and I plan to do the same for my future students.
What are your career goals?
After completing Northwestern’s MSEd program, my goal is to become a secondary school teacher. I am particularly interested in teaching social studies or history, as I studied political science, postcolonial studies, and gender studies in college. I also have an interest in education policy and administration—I was drawn to Northwestern’s MSEd program for its emphasis on both policy and practice. My experience working with youth has always been in after-school and community programs and school partnerships, so I really look forward to working with students in a school setting.
What drew you to Northwestern University’s MSEd Program?
Its commitment to equity, social justice, community engagement, and the collaborative learning environment, small interactive courses, and clinical experiences that connect theory and practice. I enjoy working and learning in a collaborative atmosphere where I can learn from my peers, colleagues, and professors. I am confident that Northwestern’s MSEd program will provide this type of experience. I appreciate the Northwestern MSEd program’s emphasis on providing future educators with the tools and training necessary to become transformative teachers, which is the kind of teacher I strive to be.
What were you doing prior to starting at Northwestern?
I worked for over a decade as a coordinator and program administrator for a city-run space that focused on teen arts, culture, and all-ages music. I managed a wide range of youth programs, including cultural programs, youth leadership boards, all-ages concerts, music, and improv programs, civic engagement, and service-learning programs, college readiness programs, after-school tutoring and enrichment programs, summer camps, art classes, and summer lunch programs. In these roles, I regularly worked with city officials, school administrators, teachers, artists, major foundations, local businesses, parks and library departments, nonprofits, and community organizations, and learned the importance of building school-community partnerships.
What are you excited about in the MSEd program?
The chance to learn from and connect with professors, administrators, and fellow classmates! I also really look forward to the clinical experience in the classroom and the Master’s research project. Northwestern’s MSEd program provides the ideal setting to become the kind of teacher I would want: empathetic, collaborative, inclusive, impactful, community-oriented, and growth-focused. I can’t wait to join the learning community at Northwestern’s School of Education and Social Policy!