Emma Grata

About Emma Grata

When you\'re young, you are always asked what you want to be when you grow up. I think back to when people would ask me that and my first answer was always \"I want to be a teacher!\" I loved school that much and was always excited to learn new things (some things never change!). When I was younger, I used to practically force my brothers to play \"school\" with me so that I could practice teaching. They were not the biggest fans of this, but, in the long run, it helped them get through school. I would help them with their homework and get them prepared for their tests. Fast forward to when it was time for me to choose a career path in college. Everyone told me it wasn\'t a good idea to go just for teaching. The problem was that I had no idea what I wanted to do otherwise. So instead of teaching, I decided that I wanted to be a veterinarian. I took multiple science courses to lead me to that career path. Eventually, I decided that that wasn\'t the right fit for me and chose to pursue a degree in business. To still finish school on time (and with a dual degree), I chose to be an agribusiness major on top of my animal science one too.At the time, I was sad that I let people talk me out of pursuing a career path that I thought I had loved and wanted so badly. Looking back now, I couldn\'t be happier. I still ended up becoming a teacher eventually, but I was able to obtain some other types of experience first that I believe will be beneficial now. Now after a few years of teaching, I believe it is finally time for a change. Teaching high schoolers has prepared me in so many ways for other careers. Of course, I can develop new curriculum and create a fun, engaging classroom environment. Of course, I work with other teachers and subjects to make sure my students are getting the best education we can give them. Let\'s add to it though. I have great interpersonal skills (got to build those relationships!), and can easily command attention from my students or anyone in my room for that matter. I can handle any situation or change thrown at me with grace and come up with a fantastic solution in a short amount of time. I can easily diffuse most situations. I can successfully multitask to make sure I\'m completing what I need to while also helping my students succeed. I stay organized and manage my time wisely to keep on track with what I need to get done daily/weekly. Did I mention that I\'m a fantastic event planner?My goal for 2024 is to find a position with a company where I can continue to use these skills while gaining new ones along the way!

Experience

1. Adjunct Professor - Biology

   Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College

   Oct 2023 — Present

Education

• Grand Canyon University

  Master of Science - MS, Biology, General

  2021 — 2022

• Purdue University

  Animal Sciences and Agribusiness: Business Management, Animal Sciences

  2013 — 2017