ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

 

Name: Joanne Veliz

Class: 2000

Regis Major: French and Education

Minor: Women Studies

Current Employer: Town of Wilmington

Current Job: World Language Teacher

Tell me about your career and your current job. What does a "day in the life of you" look like?

I’m a high school teacher and this is my 22nd year. I now teach French and Spanish, and I still love what I do. I am a co-advisor for the World Cultures Club at my school and have taken students on field trips out of the country five times. Teaching has changed a lot in the past 20 years, but it is rewarding in so many ways.

What is your greatest professional accomplishment? Contributions you have made or plan to make in your role.

I made special connections with students who graduated many years ago whom I still talk to. I also presented at a Massachusetts Foreign Language Association (MaFLA) conference with a colleague.

How did your experiences and your education at Regis prepare you for life after college?

The courses were rigorous, and I feel that I was very prepared to teach from day one.

Share a memorable experience during your time at Regis. (Internship, study abroad, service trip, clinicals, etc) How did that experience affect you, professionally and personally.

The friendships I made and the memories I have are priceless. I loved all of my teaching practicums and learned so much about teaching best practices through them.

If you were a student scholar recipient, what would you say to your donor today if you could?

Thank you for the opportunity. I had a merit scholarship which helped my parents pay for my education, and I was fortunate to not have any undergraduate loans.