Meet Kendall Goldenson, a ĚŇÉ«ĘÓƵ senior who is paving her way toward a meaningful career in teaching, and eventually, educational policy.

Through her educational journey, she’s discovered that impact isn’t just about what happens now, but also how it shapes the future.

“I’ve always wanted to make an impact on the world, and I’ve always felt like working with children is the best way to do that,” says Goldenson.

For her, the dream isn’t just about being an educator but creating environments where every student, from all backgrounds, can thrive.
At ĚŇÉ«ĘÓƵ, Goldenson's experiences have only deepened her passion for education.

“I love the School of Education’s mission and vision,” she said. “When I visited, the dean personally gave my family a tour. That personal touch really stood out to me.”

Opportunities to lead and learn

Since enrolling, she has embraced leadership opportunities, including the School of Education Student Government and supporting its initiatives and contributing to policy discussions that amplify student voices.

Goldenson aspirations extend beyond the classroom, with interests ranging from curriculum development to ensuring inclusive practices for English language learners and students with disabilities; she’s determined to make systemic changes.

“Schools should be supportive environments where every child meets their goal,” she said. “I don’t ever want a child to feel like they’ve been failed.”

When asked about her future, Goldenson lit up with enthusiasm, crediting Ruth Bader Ginsburg as an inspiration: “I watched a film about her and it changed my life,” she explained. “I want to be that woman who walks into a room and commands respect, all while being 4’11.”

She shares at least a couple of traits with the Supreme Court icon and one of her role models: a small stature combined with a big passion for standing up for her values and the voices of others. This resolve has contributed to her dreams of combining education and policy.

Prioritizing joy

Despite her busy schedule of centering coursework, student teaching, Student Government leadership responsibilities as a co-president, and more, Goldenson emphasizes the importance of balance. Whether it’s exploring coffee shops, attending concerts, or indulging in her love for baking, she finds time to connect with life beyond academics.

“I could see why people might think school is my whole life, but it’s about finding joy in the little things,” she said.

Her energy is contagious, a reminder that educators are individuals with passions that fuel their drive.

Looking forward to the future

As her undergraduate journey comes to a close with graduation approaching this semester, she’s ready to take the next step. With plans to first teach elementary school before transitioning into policy work, she’s committed to making schools inclusive, supportive environments for all.

“Education is about showing children they’re loved and supported,” she concluded. “It’s about being that person who believes in them when they need it most. That’s the kind of teacher I want to be.”

Goldenson’s story is a reminder that the most profound change often starts small: in classrooms with students who feel valued and with educators who dream big.

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From heliest memories, Emma Hoeschler knew she wanted to be a teacher.    

“I've always been passionate about working with children, but it took me quite a while to decide what type of teacher I wanted to be,” she said.

Hoeschler's teaching focus only began to manifest itself after a pivotal U.S. government class in her senior year provided her with a firsthand experience of the connection that can exist between classroom content and her personal life. 

“I was able to see the potential for social studies education to empower students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities,” she said. 

Fulfilling her dreams of becoming an active changemaker in her community, Hoeschler was a founding member of the School of Education Student Government, creating learning opportunities in the School of Education community for students, staff and faculty. 

Nominated to be the 2024 Outstanding Secondary Humanities Undergraduate Teacher Licensure Program Graduate, Hoeschler has gained much admiration from her mentors. 

“She embodies the role of teacher leader,” said her nominators, Professor Wendy Glenn and PhD Candidate Chelsea Kent. “Emma centers equity and justice in her teaching, inviting students to examine how power and privilege have shaped and continue to shape our global society.”

Poised and ready to start her teaching career, Hoeschler will soon be teaching 7th and 8th grade social studies at Explore K-8 in Thornton, Colorado. 

“I am excited to be taking on a classroom of my own and have the privilege to work with a new group of students,” she said “I cannot wait to see what the next chapter holds.” 

In her own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

  I'm originally from Denver, Colorado. I've known since before I can remember that I wanted to be a teacher. I've always been passionate about working with children, but it took me quite a while to decide what type of teacher I wanted to be. In my senior year U.S. government class, my teacher tasked my class with finding a problem in our community and proposing a solution for it through the structures of local government. This lesson allowed me to experience firsthand the connection between my personal life and classroom content. I was able to see the potential for social studies education to empower students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities. All of my decisions following this experience have been made to fulfill my end goal of becoming a secondary social studies teacher. I chose to attend ĚŇÉ«ĘÓƵ's Teaching Licensure program due to its focus on bridging the gap between school settings and local communities. When students are able to bring their experiences and passions in the classroom space, learning inherently becomes more student-driven and impactful. The past four years have enabled me to experience a variety of social studies classroom settings throughout Boulder and have solidified my love of teaching. I am currently finishing my student teaching experience at Casey Middle School in Boulder, Colorado, and I cannot wait to see what the next chapter holds." 

What is one of the most significant lessons from your time at ĚŇÉ«ĘÓƵ that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter of your life?

  One of the most significant lessons from my time at ĚŇÉ«ĘÓƵ that I will carry with me into the next chapter of my life is that good things take time. Especially throughout college, it's easy to feel rushed and forced to move quickly to finish everything you can. I've learned that it's important to be intentional with my time and that it's okay to spend extra time to produce high quality work. It's hard not to compare yourself to others, but college is the best time to forge your own path and find what works for you. College is full of setbacks and achievements, so recognizing that each step of your journey will take however much time as it takes will give you the peace of mind and persistence to keep moving forward."

What does graduating from ĚŇÉ«ĘÓƵ represent for you or your family/community?

  Graduating from ĚŇÉ«ĘÓƵ represents a long-held dream of becoming an active changemaker in my community. While I knew that I wanted to be a teacher for years before my senior year of high school, it was difficult for me to find a university setting that upheld my core values. The ĚŇÉ«ĘÓƵ School of Education is different from any other secondary licensure program that I have come across. In this program, we go far beyond simply learning how to teach. CU teachers are poised to become real agents for progress in their schools, communities and the education system as a whole. The skills and knowledge that I have developed throughout my time at CU have prepared me to be a teacher who empowers her students to think critically about our world and work to advance our communities for the better."

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

  Take time for yourself! Teachers are individuals who give everything they have for their students and their communities, but it's important to recognize that we can't bring our best selves to the table if we're not taking care of ourselves. Learning to balance work life and home life starts in college and developing the skills to draw boundaries is vital. I know I'm biased, but I argue that teaching is one of the most important roles that you can fill for your community. We need teachers who know how to intentionally take time for themselves so they can continue to love to show up for their students for years to come."

What are your next steps after graduation?

  This fall, I have accepted a Social Studies Teaching position in Thornton, Colorado. I will be teaching 7th and 8th grade social studies at Explore PK-8. I am excited to be taking on a classroom of my own and have the privilege to work with a new group of students!"

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Always with an open mind, ĚŇÉ«ĘÓƵ graduate Samantha Lane dives into new opportunities and challenges in her life however unexpected they may be. 

Lane decided to major in Leadership and Community Engagement as she was interested in the community-based, hands-on experiences that the major offered, as well as making a difference in educational spaces. 

Her time at ĚŇÉ«ĘÓƵ, however, started unexpectedly and with challenges during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Yearning to make connections, she found and joined numerous new programs: as a coach for K-12 students in Public Achievement–a youth led civic engagement that promotes student voice and transformative change–, as a member of the Phi Sigma Pi National Honors Fraternity, as a Learning Assistant for a class she surprisingly loved–Weather and the Atmosphere–, and much more.

“When I started CU during the pandemic, my experience was anything but what I had expected it to be,” said Lane. “As I begin the next chapter of my life, I will do my best to remember that it's OK if not everything turns out perfectly or how I would expect it to, as there is a lot of beauty among the imperfect and unexpected if you look for it.”

Lane is a 2024 Outstanding Graduate, and her peers in her major describe her as “always the first to volunteer at any leadership opportunity within her group.”  

“She doesn’t leave anyone behind and is always so thoughtful about the impact she has on others,” they said.

In her own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

  I am a Boulder native and have lived in Boulder my entire life (I graduated from Fairview High School). I love Boulder as I love doing outdoor activities such as hiking, biking and skiing, and Boulder is a great place for that! I decided to major in Leadership and Community Engagement because I was interested in making a difference in our education system without going into teaching, and I felt that the Leadership major would be a great way for me to learn more about the education system. I was also really drawn to the major due to the community-based, hands-on experiences that it offers. For example, through the major I have gotten to work with youth outside of traditional classroom settings in many ways, such as through afterschool programs, alternative classes and community organizations. It is through these experiences that I have been able to figure out that I want to have a career working with youth in alternative settings to school.”

What is one of the most significant lessons from your time at ĚŇÉ«ĘÓƵ that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter?

  One of the most significant lessons I have learned from CU is that the most wonderful experiences and opportunities often arise in the least expected ways, so it is important to have an open mind, as you never know what amazing opportunities you'll find when you do. Growing up, I always knew that I wanted to go to college, and I always loved to picture what my college life would look like. In fact, in high school, I even picked out many of the student organizations and programs I hoped to join when I got here. However, when I started CU during the pandemic (Fall 2020), my experience was anything but what I had expected it to be. However, I persevered, and in an attempt to meet new people during a year that seemed determined to keep me isolated from others so I wouldn't get sick, I decided to join some organizations I hadn't heard of before college, such as Public Achievement and Phi Sigma Pi National Honors Fraternity. In both of these organizations, I tried my best to be open minded and friendly, which helped these to become two of my favorite communities at ĚŇÉ«ĘÓƵ, and I made some of my closest friends through these. Another example is my first year I randomly decided to take ATOC 1050 Weather and the Atmosphere to get a natural science credit out of the way, and I ended up loving the class so much I became a Learning Assistant for it for two semesters. Even though it was a very different subject than what I was majoring in, I ended up having a lot of fun and learning a lot of new facts and skills I wasn't even expecting to learn when I first started college! As I begin the next chapter of my life, I will do my best to remember that it's ok if not everything turns out perfectly or how I would expect it to, as there is a lot of beauty among the imperfect and unexpected if you look for it.”

What does graduating from ĚŇÉ«ĘÓƵ represent for you and/or your community?

  For me, graduating from ĚŇÉ«ĘÓƵ represents strength and resilience. Especially due to starting college during a pandemic, like for everyone in my year.There were a lot of challenges thrown my way. Graduating represents that I, along with my entire graduating class, overcame these challenges, and as such, I give huge kudos to the strength and resilience that everyone in my graduating class has been able to show to get to this point!”

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

  My best piece of advice for incoming students is that it's OK if not everything turns out perfectly and if college feels really hard at times. Going into college, I always heard about the fun times that various adults around me had had in college and had heard from others that "college was the best time of their life." When I got to college though, I learned that while there are so many fun parts to college, there are also a lot of parts that are really hard, and sometimes people don't tell you about these parts before you begin your journey. People will talk about the lifelong friends that they made in college (which I did make several lifelong friends through college), but people don't always tell you how stressful it is to manage your classes and a job and your social life all at the same time. So I want to be the one to tell you, your experience is not going to be perfect. It's going to have a lot of ups and downs and sometimes you're going to experience a rollercoaster of emotions. There will be moments where you're going to feel lost and confused. And that's OK! That's normal! Everyone else around you has or will also experience challenges in college too! When you feel overwhelmed or stressed or any other emotion, feel it fully, as these emotions are valid and part of the college experience. It is through these experiences and emotions where you will grow the most. There is so much beauty in the imperfect and unexpected, so you have to have imperfect moments to find this beauty! It is in the moments where life is really hard where you will learn you have a strength that you didn't know you had! It is when you make it through the hardest times when you will feel the most accomplished! So embrace the chaos that is college, and know that every experience and every emotion, whether good or bad, is valid and brings beauty and strength.”

What are your next steps after graduation?

  After graduation, I am moving to San Diego. I will be spending the summer working as a unit leader at the Jewish Community Center summer camp, and I hope to find a career doing program management for either camp or afterschool programs (or for another program focusing on youth learning in alternative spaces).”

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