Claire's Georgia State Blog
Major: Early Childhood Education
Hometown: Woodstock, GA
Graduation Year: 2010
Hobbies: Hanging out with friends, shopping, going to the beach, reading a good book, working out.
Claire's Recent Entries
STATE in the City
HI 
My name is Claire Donnelly. Currently, I am JUNIOR here at Georgia State! Wow, it’s hard to get used to saying that, I just cannot believe time has flown by so fast! I feel like two years has gone by in the blink of an eye because being at GSU has been such an AMAZING experience. Although it’s going to be hard for me to sum up my experience so far in just a few words, I can say that State is home for me. The people here that inspire me, the professors that challenge me, the city that I play in, and the friends that I have made can never be replaced.
The two most important parts of GSU for me are my major (yes, I am a huge GEEK and LOVE school!) and my sorority. I am currently a student in the College of Education’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) Program. Unlike most schools, GSU ECE students start the 2-year program with three semesters spending half of the time in the field and half of the time in the classroom. So basically, I am on campus three days a week for class and go to an elementary school for two days a week. The last semester, we do our standard student teaching everyday. This program is very beneficial for future teachers because you are automatically placed in schools, as an intern. You are not sitting in a classroom learning how to be an Educator, you are actually in a classroom educating students. Currently, I am interning in a Kindergarten class in East Lake, and I LOVE MY CLASS!!
Also, the ECE Program sets students up with mentors, supervisors, and very passionate professors, who guide us through the process. You move through the 2-year program with the same 30 students in what is called a cohort, so this way you can discuss your experiences, learn from each other, and have a shoulder to lean on if you get stressed. I’m sure all of the cohorts are great, but mine is WONDERFUL! I absolutely would not have been so optimistic about teaching if it was not for the beautiful people in my cohort. All majors are stressful and require a lot of work, so having this group of people supporting each other is allowing me to enjoy the experience.
When I am not being a nerd and in class, interning, or doing projects, I am usually spending time with my sorority sisters. My sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha, has given me the opportunity to find a “home away from home” in the middle of a HUGE college campus. There are no words to even describe how much my sisters mean to me, they are the funnest and most caring women I have ever met. Georgia State’s over 250 student organizations are highly involved on campus and in the community. Because we are in one of the nation’s biggest cities, student organizations have the opportunity to do EVERYTHING! All of the student organizations that I am involved with have made my college experience.
Now that you know a little about me, let me tell you why I chose GSU…
When I was looking at colleges, I was very indecisive about where I wanted to go. I knew I wanted to stay in-state to get the HOPE Scholarship, but I was uneasy about actually making a choice of what school to attend. The one part I knew for sure was that at the time, my brother was attending school at another university downtown and I wanted to be able to be close to him, and at the same time far enough away to have my own life! Georgia State University just kind of fell into my lap, to be honest! At first I was VERY nervous about coming to a new environment where I only knew one person and did not really know my way around the area. Initially, I planned on transferring to another university after my first year. However, from the moment I stepped on campus during freshman orientation, I knew this was the place for me! The downtown atmosphere sold it for me… I LOVE the fast moving pace of the city and all of the different people you interact with! I have made my best friends here, met my future fellow colleagues, met many mentors and role models, and most importantly gotten a completely WELL-ROUNDED education. After being here only two years, I have figured out what interests me and what I want to do “when I grow up,” whenever that is !
And now you also see that I love to write…. sorry!