Senior Salute - Bri Becerra

We continue our "Senior Salute" series with Bri Becerra, an adolescent and young adult integrated social studies education and history major form Wadsworth, Ohio. Becerra is a member of the cross country and track and field teams.

Q: Why did you choose to attend The College of Wooster?
A: I really liked the small class size and close-knit community. Having a chance to explore my interests with a liberal arts education was a priority in my decision.

Q: What does being a Fighting Scot student-athlete mean to you?
A: Being a Fighting Scot student-athlete means balancing the things that are important to me. I get to be surrounded by a team of supportive and ambitious peers.

Q: What are some of your favorite memories as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: One of my favorite memories as a student at Wooster was presenting my Junior Independent Study last spring. Many of my teammates and friends came to listen to my presentation, and it meant a lot to have their support.

Q: What is the best part about being a student-athlete at The College of Wooster?
A: The best part about being a student-athlete is being surrounded by like-minded individuals and building a community. On the women's cross country team, we are all very serious about our academics and support each other in our ambitions. We understand each other and the importance of coming together as a team when we feel stressed or need someone to lean on.

Q: What else were you involved with on campus besides your sport?
A: I am the department assistant for the History department, a peer advisor for the Academic Resource Center, the vice president of Phi Alpha Theta history honor society, and the editor-in-chief of the Wooster Voice student newspaper.

Q: Which College of Wooster faculty or staff member has made the greatest impact on you and why?
A: Dr. Ryan Ozar from the Education department has definitely made the greatest impact on me. He believes in me even when I am not confident in myself, and he challenges me to be a better educator and student. His support has been essential over these four years.

Q: What other people or resources impacted your Wooster experience in a positive way and how did these people and resources set you up to be successful at Wooster?
A: So many faculty members across several departments have impacted my Wooster experience. The professors here are fantastic teachers and kind mentors. They have offered me support when I needed it and encouraged me to pursue opportunities.

Q: Tell us a bit about your Independent Study project?
A: I am tracing the history and importance of an educational theory called critical pedagogy. I am outlining what critical pedagogy looks like in a modern classroom. The final component of my I.S. creates several unit lesson plans using critical pedagogy in a high school history class.

Q: Tell us a bit about something cool you did as a student at The College of Wooster?
A: This past summer, I worked as a teaching fellow for Generation Teach in Denver, Colorado. I taught summer school to seventh grade students for seven weeks. This was a really great opportunity to refine my teaching skills and provide a supportive environment to my students.

Q: Reflecting back on your time at Wooster, what advice would you give your first-year self?
A: I would tell my first-year self to get outside of their comfort zone. I spent a lot of time being intimidated by trying new things, and I would tell myself to just jump into the deep end. It is so worth it, and I have made many memories and lasting friendships from putting myself out there.

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