Students should 'expect miracles'

By Michelle L. Young
Daily Forty-Niner

The Service Experiences for Revitalizing Education program on campus provides approximately 800 undergraduate students working on their teaching credentials with field experience within local classrooms.

Hilda Sramek is in her second year as SERVE director. In that time she has developed a personal motto: "expect miracles."

About ten years ago, Sramek, who graduated from CSULB in1977, contacted the university's special education department searching for support, encouragement, and possible solutions to her youngest child's severe disability, which she did not want to specify.

"The professors of special education supported my needs and gave me guidance," Sramek said. "I was only a member of the community, I was not a student or even affiliated with the university."

As a result, counseling became Sramek's passion.

Returning to CSULB for a career change, Sramek proudly graduated from the College of Education in 1999.

"There is so much going on." Sramek said of the College of Education. "It's just vibrant."

Sramek is proud to be a part of the College of Education, where she is able to give back to the community through project SERVE.

"We have world-class professors who are scholars.  I wish students knew who was teaching them.  Community service is part of the professor's profession and they give so much."

Sramek's wish may come true thanks to CSULB student Eric Varela.  Varela is pushing to establish an Association for Future Educators, that would include liberal studies majors or future teachers.

AFE's current goal is for all liberal studies majors "to feel at home with their major, in their college," according Varela's outline for the group. Because the group is not officially established, the mission statement and its goals are yet unfinished.

The concept behind AFE is to inform students about what classes offer, the structure of the class and who exactly the professors are, Sramek said.  The network connecting students, faculty, the district, and national associations could potentially build up the College of Education, further preparing and enlightening students to the options available to them.