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Why Caitlin chose Rider

Caitlin met with a Rider admissions counselor at her high school and was immediately interested in enrolling. Rider earned a place on her short list because she felt valued as a person, rather than for her GPA and test scores. 

Caitlin visited campus and immediately felt at home, plus she spoke with a current student in Rider’s elementary education program. “We discussed my interests and my plans for the future. I was encouraged to pursue my interest in special education concurrently with my elementary education degree.” Rider offered Caitlin all the available courses she wanted, and Rider’s affiliation with Freehold Borough School District solidified her decision because Caitlin had completed volunteer work there when she was younger.

Engaged learning experience

Caitlin gained hands-on leadership and mentoring experience at Rider as the vice president of Zeta Tau Alpha. “Any great recruitment takes an amazing unified team. What is a sorority if not a group of women unified in their values and love for their chapter? To that end, I believe every sister has a place in recruitment.” 

Caitlin learned to recognize each sorority member’s unique strengths and applied her leadership skills to motivate and encourage people to do their best work, and she believes this carries into her role in education. “No educator exists in a vacuum. Whether it’s my students and me, my grade-level colleagues, or my school and district community, we are a team where each individual’s unique capabilities can be utilized to build the team’s overall strength.” 

As a Rider student, this leadership experience is recorded on Caitlin's Engaged Learning transcript, providing prospective employers, graduate counselors, and others with a deeper understanding of who she really is, beyond her academic accomplishments. In addition, she gained experience in student-teaching positions with the Hopewell Valley Regional School District. 

Advice for Rider students

“Get involved!” Caitlin is grateful that she joined clubs and organizations. These experiences helped Caitlin to develop as a person and are the foundation for future success as a professional educator. Caitlin suggests that all students get to know and work closely with the professors, advisors and fellow students in their college. “Whatever you need, Rider’s College of Education and Human Services will be there to help, and be your best support system.”