For Carlie Bouchard '19, the path to becoming an educator has always been clear. From a young age, she knew she wanted to be an elementary school teacher. That passion became even more personal in 2019, when her family adopted her nephew, inspiring her to focus her studies on special education and deepen her commitment to inclusive learning.
At UHart Carlie pursued a degree in integrated elementary and special education, gaining hands-on experience that would shape her future in the classroom. Through extensive fieldwork and student teaching placements, she spent significant time immersed in real school environments.
Carlie completed a total of 30 weeks of student teaching at the University of Hartford Magnet School, including 20 weeks in a first-grade classroom and 10 weeks in a special education program. These experiences allowed her to apply her coursework in meaningful ways, build confidence, and develop the practical skills needed to lead her own classroom.
“The program gave us the greatest opportunity for student teaching and learning directly in the field,” Carlie shares. “I was able to take everything I learned and apply it in real time.”
Carlie’s dedication and preparation paid off. She secured a position as a special education teacher at R.D. Seymour Elementary School in East Granby, Connecticut before graduation, where she will begin teaching in May. She credits her time at UHart not only for preparing her academically, but also for supporting her personally.
“There were times when I felt like I couldn’t keep going,” she says. “But the support from my professors, classmates, and mentors helped me push through.”
Outside the classroom, Carlie enjoyed being a member of the Women’s Club Soccer team. “The most memorable part for me was the friendships I made along the way,” she says. “And the campus in the warm weather is just beautiful,” she says.
Her advice to incoming students reflects the resilience she developed along the way:
“Meet new people, try new things, and don’t give up when you think you can’t do it—because you can and you will. Things will get hard, but it will all work out.”
With a clear purpose and strong foundation, Carlie Bouchard is ready to make a meaningful impact, one student at a time.
Carlie Bouchard '19, UHart alumna and special education teacherThe program gave us the greatest opportunity for student teaching and learning directly in the field. I was able to take everything I learned and apply it in real time.