The University Education Association is a student organization that connects all of the different majors within the education department.

As UEA President Ashlyn Stephens said, “UEA exists in order to give other education majors opportunities and experiences to benefit their future teaching career that they wouldn’t get in the classroom here.”

A representative from each major is selected in order to spread information and ideas through the department.

Stephens’ role as president is to be a go-between for the students, the professors and off-campus professionals.

The UEA is planning to host a retreat  later this year for representatives, officers and staff sponsors.

This retreat will cover the goals and planned events for the year, and it will function as a meet-and-greet to welcome many new members into the association.

Vice president of the UEA, Sarah Fournier, said, “We just want them to know the mission of UEA, some of our events for the year and also just what their job is going to look like.”

Last year the organization refreshed their slogan to be “Equip, Challenge, and Connect.”

Fournier said this slogan reflects the association’s desire to give education majors the tools that they need to be successful both as students and as future teachers.

Meetings are to provide insight on teaching techniques, give students hands-on experience, and bring in professionals to talk about current issues.

This year’s focus, as well as many of the events, are yet to be decided.

Reed said UEA’s focus is on classroom preparation.  “We can’t develop leaders if we never give them the opportunity,” she said.

The UEA often hosts simulations, which allow the members to experience issues from a student’s point of view.

This semester, the UEA will host an English as a Second Language simulation, which will take place in the fall.

This simulation will show students some of the challenges ESL students face in the classroom in order to raise awareness of the issue and to discuss ways to address it.

The simulation will provide excellent experience in addressing a widespread phenomena in schools across the country.