A Teacher at Heart

Asma Hosein ’23 embraces her passion for education and service

ver since she was a child, Asma Hosein knew she wanted to be an educator.

“My mom was a teacher, and she’s one of my biggest role models,” said Ms. Hosein, 21, who expects to graduate from the St. Joseph’s University, New York Long Island Campus this spring with a bachelor’s degree in child study and a concentration in psychology.

“I remember playing school with my siblings when I was younger. Going into teaching was always a passion of mine,” she added.

While Ms. Hosein is enjoying many aspects of her senior year, the time she has spent student teaching has been her favorite so far.

“I absolutely love it,” the Selden resident said. “It made my love for teaching stronger, and it made me much more comfortable with it. I wake up, and I’m genuinely so excited to see my students every single day.”

Ms. Hosein was a student teacher in fourth- and first-grade classrooms during the fall. This spring, she is scheduled to work in special education classes as a student teacher.

“I feel like part of the reason why I want to go into teaching is because I know that I’m making a difference and a direct impact on someone’s life,” said Ms. Hosein, who teaches a kindergarten class at her local mosque on Saturdays. “My number one goal is to help others, and I feel like I’ll be doing that as a teacher.”

In addition to helping her realize her passions, Ms. Hosein credits the faculty and staff at St. Joseph’s for helping her develop leadership skills, which she further grew through her involvement in student clubs and organizations. She serves as co-program director for the Campus Activities Board (CAB), president of the Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society, committee member for the Student Alumni Association, and co-founder and former president of the Educators Club.

“These past four years have honestly been such a blessing,” Ms. Hosein said. “Everyone is so uplifting, and each step of the way, I’m being shaped to become this mature adult. I definitely do feel like I’ve changed and become a leader.”