Student Profile: Melissa Roginski

Melissa Rae Roginski first realized her passion for teaching while studying abroad in Poland as an undergraduate student, teaching English to students through the WorldTeach volunteer program.

Melissa is graduating from Rutgers Graduate School of Education (GSE) this month with a master’s degree in Language Education and a certification in English as a Second Language (ESL) and this fall she will return to Poland as an English teacher and culture ambassador. Melissa was awarded an English Teaching Assistant grant through the Fulbright U.S. Student program, enabling her to teach English at the university level and represent the United States and the importance of personal suitability and academic excellence for language education.

Melissa pursued a master’s degree in Language Education at the GSE to expand the knowledge gained through her study abroad and undergraduate experiences at Alfred University in New York, where she double majored in comparative cultures and foreign language and culture studies.

Melissa’s experiences through the Language Education program at the GSE helped her find herself as a teacher. Her student-teaching experience at Cherry Hill Elementary School provided a hands-on experience teaching ESL to a diverse group of students and working with other language teachers and mentors.

“My classes at the GSE have taught me invaluable lessons about theory and its relation to practice,” notes Melissa. “I hope to apply what I’ve learned to my observation and practice of teaching methods, especially while teaching abroad.”

Melissa utilized resources at Rutgers University, including GradFund, to maximize the likelihood of having the opportunity to return to Poland and further develop her passion for incorporating culture, language, and identity into English language learning.

Melissa plans to enroll in a Polish language program while abroad, to gain language proficiency and expand her language education knowledge. She is open to learning from her peers and hopes to foster a mutual respect and understanding of various cultures.

“I want to relate to my students better by experiencing first-hand what it feels like to be in a foreign country, familiarizing myself with a new culture and language,” said Melissa. “I hope to gain insights into my students’ experiences by immersing myself into the assimilation experience, whether in the classroom or in daily routines.”

 

To learn more about the Ed.M. program with certification in English as a Second Language at GSE, click here.

If you are interested in applying for external fellowships and grants, please visit the GradFund website to learn more about available resources.