Sophia Cornell, Outstanding Graduate
I became a history/social studies major because I wanted to continue to serve my community as a high school teacher.
Sophia Cornell’s desire to serve her community drove her to the Marine Corps, but it was her love of history that led her to WWU. Both experiences helped her discover her goal of becoming a high school teacher—and to continue serving her community.
Prof. Costanzo describes Sophia as “not only an accomplished historian, but also a vital presence in the classroom. She has always played a pivotal role in discussions and serves as a model for collaborative learning. She’s great at taking risks and admitting uncertainty. Thus, she opens new directions for other students to explore.”
Sophia’s own reflection on watching her classmates’ thesis projects evolve in Prof. Zimmerman’s HIST 499, “Topics in African History” course echoes this sentiment. “It was cool to watch a group of people dive deep into mostly new subjects and become more like experts by the end of the class.”
Currently, Sophia is taking another step closer to her goal—attending the Master’s Secondary Teaching Program at Woodring—where she loves working with her cohort. Prof. Costanzo is confident Sophia’s “skills will make her an awesome teacher.”