Alex Surro
M.Ed. and Graduate Teaching Fellowship Provide Foundation for Building His Dream Career
Alex Surro graduated from Merrimack College in 2022 with his M.Ed. in Teacher Education. During his time as a graduate student at Merrimack, Alex completed a K-12 Teacher Education fellowship, where he provided support to diverse learners in classrooms, led group lessons, and accommodated students’ IEPs. Alex now utilizes the skills and knowledge he obtained in his graduate courses and fellowship in his role as a Second Grade Special Education Co-Teacher in the Newburyport District.
“[Merrimack’s fellowship] program has shaped the way I teach in so many ways. From the strategies that I learned in courses from professors or heard from my peers, to the countless experiences I had in my placement school, I grew so much as an educator.”
Alex decided to attend Merrimack’s Teacher Education graduate program due to Massachusetts’ requirement to earn a master’s degree within 5 years, as well as to gain more experience before professionally entering the teaching field. Merrimack stood out to him amongst other graduate programs because it allows students to graduate in as little as 12 months and offers a plethora of cost-saving fellowships. Referring to the benefits of his fellowship, Alex explains:
“Everything I know about the world of special education is because of Merrimack’s Fellowship, including how to collaborate with colleagues on creating and revising IEPs, strategies to best support students, and how to best handle the stress of the job. In terms of expanding my professional network, I was introduced to so many different types of teachers, educators and administrators and created a reputation for myself without even trying”.
Words of Wisdom for future Graduate Fellows
When asked what advice he would give to others considering Merrimack’s K-12 Teacher Education fellowships, Alex states that although it can be nerve-wracking and challenging, the opportunity is worth the effort; besides gaining valuable experience in the field, “working closely with so many people allows for your name to spread, and as long as you are putting forth your best effort, that will help you build a career!”
Alex’s experience as a Teacher Education Graduate Fellow was recently profiled by Profellow.com. Read more on the Profellow website.
