Alie Linens: Education is all about making connections
“No other field has you on the floor singing and dancing at 9 a.m., and that’s what I love about it.”
Alie Linens is a sophomore in the B.S. Ed. in Elementary Education and Teaching program at the VCU School of Education. She is a SOE student ambassador, vice chairman of SOE's Student Leadership Council, and founder and president of the Education Club at VCU.
What drew you to the field of education?
My main goal when finding a career was always to help people and have fun. Education is not for the faint of heart for many reasons, but no other field has you on the floor singing and dancing at 9 a.m., and that’s what I love about it.
Is there anyone who inspired you to pursue study in this field?
There are many wonderful people who have inspired me to become a teacher, but the final push came from Mariah Crilley (an instructor in VCUs’ Department of Focused Inquiry). She didn’t necessarily advise me on education, but the funny thing about teachers is that it doesn’t matter what they’re teaching most of the time – it’s the connection they make with their students. She showed me the teacher I wanted to be. Thanks, Dr. Mariah.
Why VCU SOE?
Not only are you in the heart of the city with rich culture and diversity, but also learning about it in your education. Conversations of diversity are necessary for the education field, and VCU requires its SOE students to be culturally literate, to have those hard, necessary conversations, and how to fight against the injustices in place today.
What has impressed you most about your program so far?
Every faculty member and student I’ve met in my program has been overwhelmingly welcoming and helpful. Everyone is willing to help in any way they can.
What would be your dream job?
My dream job is to research and/or teach about the necessity of teaching Social/Emotional skills. Mental health is a very important topic for me, and I wish to see it discussed more in schools.
What do you do to relax and have fun outside of school?
Reading and going outside! Sometimes, we forget to just go outside and enjoy ourselves. I love going for a walk, hiking, or exploring.
Any tips for students who are considering coming to SOE for the B.S.Ed. in Elementary Education and Teaching?
The program isn’t easy. Again, you have to have hard conversations, take multiple state tests, and are held to high academic standards. I don’t say that to scare anyone because if you really love what you’re doing, it’s always worth it in the end. Also, you have many support systems throughout the SOE – your professors, your peers, your advisors, your faculty – who would love to help in any way they can. Though constantly growing, we have the blessing of a smaller school, allowing us to make close connections, so use that to your advantage!