Student Spotlight: Valeria Montoya ’19

今年5月，瓦莱里娅·蒙托亚（Valeria Montoya）获得了生物学学位，并专注于P-12生物和科学教育，她想在新泽西州一所高需求学校教授中学科学，特别是生物学。

她在火狐体育期间的成就之一是被选为S. Marie Kuhnen奖学金的获得者。 “Receiving this scholarship was an amazing help financially as well as a great honor that acknowledged my academic achievements toward teaching biology.”

The scholarship honors the legacy of Marie Kuhnen ’41, alumna, mentor, professor and chair of the Department of Biology, and is intended to help students pursue their aspirations to become biology teachers.

With a love of science developed as a child, Montoya knew she wanted to major in biology, and originally considered pursuing a career in medicine. While at Montclair State, she made a life-changing decision to focus on science education, finding the perfect match for her interests and skills. Montoya credits amazing professors and peers, and the University’s excellent programs, for preparing her for this fulfilling career path. She finds genetics and studying animal behavior particularly interesting and looks forward to inspiring her students about biology and the potential to pursue a career in science.

“Having a strong sense of community and support has been one of the most memorable aspects of my time at Montclair State. I thank the generous donors for giving me this opportunity and making this award possible for aspiring science teachers.”