Congratulations to Amethyst Stegbauer!

Congratulations to Amethyst Stegbauer on her appointment to the National Education Association Representative Assembly (NEA RA) Advisory Committee of Student Members. Amethyst is a student in the Integrated Elementary Special Education program in the Department of Education. She is minoring in Art and Deaf Studies as well. The NEA is the largest professional employee organization in the country. As a member of the Advisory Committee, Amethyst will participate in promoting student membership on college campuses and recommending strategies to increase student membership and engagement. The Committee also plans and conducts a community service project at the NEA RA annual meeting, as well as the planning and delivery of the Student Leadership and Professional Development Conference. Amethyst has been an active member of the Education Minnesota Student Association, the student chapter of Education Minnesota in the Department of Education. She has served as the EMSA president, is the current secretary, and serves as the Education Minnesota Student Program state secretary. Of her experience she says, "I have been involved with EMSA since my freshman year when I became the Early Childhood representative. However that quickly changed when the president stepped down and I was voted in as president for the rest of the year. I was re-elected president my sophomore year and was rewarded with the UMD Leadership award that same year. After my freshman year, I attended my very first NEA RA in Orlando Florida and I was inspired by the 10,000 educators in the arena to continue my work with the NEA and to get involved with it as much as I could. At the end of that trip I was asked to join the EdMN Student Task force in developing the EMSP (Education Minnesota Student Program) Council for the state to establish structure and intercampus communication across the state. Just this fall I was elected secretary of the newly established council. This past summer I attended the SLC (Student Leadership Conference) in Washington D.C. I was appointed to the committee of 10 student to represent the voice of 50,000 student members across the nation. I am beyond excited and so grateful to have this opportunity to serve with other amazing student leaders from across the nation under the largest teachers union. This is one step in the right direction as a future educator and I can not wait to see where this takes me in the upcoming months." Again, congratulations Amethyst. We in the Department of Education are proud to have you represent EMSA on campus, at the state, and now the national council.