Senior Story 2020: Education Major to Teach, Mentor Middle School
Date published: May 8, 2020
Name: Marge Novacek
Hometown: Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin
Major: Interdisciplinary Studies
Notable UD Memories/Achievements: Studying in Rome; Successful Student-Teaching Semester
Future Plans: Teaching Middle School in Irving ISD
This is the first in a series of eight stories that will be published to highlight the achievements of some of our seniors
in the Class of 2020.
Marge Novacek, BA ’20, had no plans to come to UD until April of her senior year of
high school. At her mother’s urging she decided she would visit, sure she did not
want to go so far from her home in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. During her visit she
had some time to sit on the mall, contemplating and observing like a true (almost)
UD student. It was in these moments, noting the people and the friendships in front
of her, that she knew it was the place for her.
Her instincts were right, and the people she met have been critical to her experience
at UD. One of her favorite memories is from the Greek Olympics during her Rome semester:
She didn’t know her team when she started, but “Those people are some of my best friends
now!” she said.
It might seem like a coincidence, but at UD it really isn’t. What she loves most about
these friendships is that, “since UD draws students from such a wide range of places,
we have so many different backgrounds and personalities, which always keeps it interesting!”
Novacek found that her observation of the people at UD rang true in the classroom
as well, through her professors. She loved many of her professors at UD, noticing
that the attention they gave to their students was a very unique blessing. Novacek
remembers her interactions with her professors fondly.
“I can’t tell you how many times Mrs. Khirallah dropped what she was doing to chat with me about an assignment, or to help me figure
out how to make my schedule work,” In addition, during her senior year, she received
emails with job recommendations from her teachers. “Our professors are constantly
thinking about how to help us — not just during class time — and I just don’t think
it’s possible to get that at a bigger school.”
These supportive teachers helped Novacek through her difficult semester student-teaching
and prepared her well for working after graduation and to confidently say, “UD’s Education
Department has definitely prepared me for teaching!”
Although it was hard being so far from home, Novacek now plans on staying in the Dallas
area for at least a couple of years. Staying in Irving is particularly a blessing
to Novacek after her final semester at UD got cut short. She did miss out on a lot
of final experiences with the Class of 2020, but her disappointments only make her
more grateful for the time she did have, for taking advantage of being together. As
hard as it is at the end of the semester getting closer to graduation, Novacek does
not think it will break their class, rather, she says, “I think it somehow will bring
us even closer together in the end.”
Novacek plans on teaching middle school in Irving this upcoming year. In reflecting
on her decision to teach middle school specifically, Novacek said, “Kids in middle
school are entering a more independent stage of life, which means they need good role
models, which I knew I could be.” Irving will be blessed to gain her as a teacher,
and her students will be especially blessed to have her as a mentor as well. Knowing
that her career will be much more than simply passing along knowledge, Novacek is
excited to start her job in Irving ISD, teaching and mentoring.