Noyce Scholar Profile
Natalie Getchell
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: B.S., Biology
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Biology, grades 9-12
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
Pacific University
Current academic or teaching status:
Undergraduate, Senior
School and school district:
N/A
Background:
I am from Beaverton, Oregon and currently attend Pacific University. I am a senior Biology major and will be entering the College of Education program here at Pacific in June. Besides studying, I enjoy playing lacrosse and being outdoors.
Why do you want to teach:
Teachers have the potential to really make a difference in students’ lives and their futures. Some of my best memories during high school have to do with the excellent teachers that I was fortunate enough to have. I am especially excited about teaching Biology because it is such a vast and exciting field which allows everyone to find something within it to study that they can enjoy and be passionate about.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
When I was in the fourth grade, my teacher was a reptile enthusiast and had four snakes in the classroom. Coincidently, I was terrified of snakes and was really nervous about being around them. During the first part of the school year, the teacher taught us about snakes and as my knowledge of them increased, my fear of decreased. By the end of the school year, I was holding the snakes on a weekly basis and had even tried to convince my parents that I needed a pet snake. Although this experience seems trivial, it stands out clearly in my mind because of how easily I was able to overcome my fear of something just by being educated about it. This experience has stayed with me over the years because it demonstrates the power of education and knowledge.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
Although I am just beginning to be involved with the Noyce program, I have already realized the large network and support system that the program offers. The Noyce program has already introduced me to opportunities that wouldn’t have normally been available to me.
