New grad prepares for career in literacy and special education
Photos by Lee Ferris
From the dance floor to the quiet focus of the Writing Center, Emily Casale of Staten Island, N.Y. spent her four years at Mount Saint Mary College proving that leadership is a performance in excellence.
Having graduated in May, the powerhouse English major – who is also on the Childhood and Special Education tracks – is ready to trade the spotlight for a classroom of her own.
A Writing Center tutor since her sophomore year, Casale credits her love for literature as the foundation of her college experience.
“I’ve always enjoyed reading and writing my whole entire life,” she explained. “It’s always been my strongest subject… I knew I was going to enjoy taking English classes while also learning a literacy perspective I can pair with teaching.”
Casale credits much of her success to Marie-Therese Sulit, professor of English.
“She really likes to hear students’ voices, hear their opinions, and incorporate it into the way that she teaches,” Casale said. “I really appreciated that and I want to be like her when I’m a teacher.”
Casale’s love of teaching is a family affair. There are several teachers in her family, the most influential of which is her mother, a special education teacher. After completing student teaching placements in Washingtonville and Cornwall, Casale has solidified her goal of becoming a Special Education teacher with a focus on literacy.
“I love connecting with the students,” Casale explained. “It brings me joy just knowing that I can make an impact on their lives to be better academically and also as individuals. It’s a very, very heartwarming field.”
Casale’s impact at the Mount extends beyond her academics. For example, since her sophomore year, she has served as the Captain of the college’s Dance Team.
“I met nearly all of my friends through that club,” she said. “It allowed me to meet people from all different grades... it’s a really close-knit group of girls.”
But it’s not just Dance Team that Casale is known for on the Mount Campus: She’s a familiar face on the Dean’s List; she was named an Aquinas Scholar, a title awarded to junior or senior students who excel in academics; and she is the Membership Chair for Kappa Delta Pi (KDP), the Education Honor Society.
Casale has solidified her plans for the future: She’ll be returning to her hometown to attend the College of Staten Island, where she will pursue an accelerated Master’s degree in Special Education for grades 1-6. While she looks forward to the next chapter, she revealed that she’ll miss the tight-knit Mount community and her roommates, Samantha O’Connell of Islip, N.Y. and Brianna Guglielmo of Smithtown, N.Y., both fellow Dean’s List recipients.
For incoming freshmen entering the English and Education programs, Casale has some simple, but important advice: “Network diligently,” she said. “Putting yourself out there to meet other people in the field is really vital. And don’t be afraid to ask for help or guidance. I’ve asked for so much advice and guidance from my classmates and professors all four years, and it’s gotten me to this point of my career.”
