Three years ago, Amber and Jared Anderson drove to Drake University in Iowa and back in one day to hear well-known scientist and educator Neil deGrasse Tyson speak.

That’s one indication of how passionate the Andersons, both now seniors in the School of Education, are about teaching science.

Both are nontraditional education majors, married with two children and juggling work, family and classes to pursue teaching careers.

The Andersons are among 23 students currently benefitting from UWM’s innovative Life Impact program, which provides financial and other support to students who are parents. The financial support has been a big help, especially after Amber’s financial aid ran out. “I don’t know how I would have been able to finish this year without that program,” she said.

But the Life Impact staff also helps them in dealing with other issues, she said. “They’re really like a second family. You walk into that office and they help you keep your perspective; they encourage you and offer guidance. They understand what you’re going through.”

The Andersons, who are both student teaching this semester, were among a group of adult and returning students honored last semester by the Student Success Center for their academic accomplishments.

“They are an amazing couple,” said Natalie Reinbold, program manager and life coach in the Life Impact Office, who nominated them for the award. “I see a hardworking family struggling to provide a brighter future for themselves and their own children, while also striving to provide a better public school opportunity to the children of Milwaukee,” she added.

“It warms my heart to know that Life Impact has helped them reach their goals, ease some of their burdens and given them a place to turn when in need.  Their story represents what Life Impact is all about.”

For Amber Anderson, her decision to become a science teacher was crystallized by hearing Tyson speak passionately about the need for science literacy in America.

“That was really, for me, a personal tipping point, because I was really unsure of what subject I wanted to teach,” Amber said. “Jared was dead set on science from the beginning, but I was a little unsure.”

Seeking meaningful careers

The Andersons, who both graduate in May, spent some time after completing high school in 2007 in finding their career paths. They were married and had one son when they came to UWM in 2012.

Both had worked other jobs after high school but were looking for careers that would inspire them.

“I was the general manager of a store and had worked as a cable technician, but I was finding none of those jobs gave me fulfillment, said Jared. “I didn’t feel I was doing anything that mattered.”

“We wanted our jobs to be meaningful,” said Amber, “so we could look forward to going to work and making a difference.”

The birth of their son, Wesley, in February 2012 motivated them to make a concrete plan. “We share a lot of the same values and interests, so that’s how we ended up sharing a major, a car and the same school schedule,” said Amber.

Their days – and nights – are busy with classwork during the day and children in the evenings. Wesley is 4, and his sister, Bay, is 1. Jared also works part-time as a tutor through the SPARK Early Literacy program (a School of Education partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee). Amber also worked with that program for two years.

Family is important to them and they wanted their children to be close in age, but adding one more child while they were still in school has had more impact than they anticipated.

“We knew it was going to be tougher, but we underestimated the challenge,” said Amber. “This has been a very difficult year.”

“We often find ourselves not even starting homework until 9 or so,” added Jared. “We’ve stayed up until 4 a.m., just to get up at 6 with the kids to get them to school. That’s almost the routine, rather than the exception.”

Lots of support from UWM

Faculty and staff at UWM have been incredibly supportive, both agree. Senior academic adviser Andrea Azarian was a big factor in their decision to come to UWM, Amber said. “She was so unbelievably helpful from day one.”

Jared lauds professor Craig Berg and senior lecturer Ray Scolavino in the MACSTEP 2.0 science education program for their academic support. “They’re knowledgeable, they make science very understandable; they show you how you can make a difference as a teacher and how you go about teaching science,” Jared said.

In addition to all the other support, the Life Impact program has helped them connect with other student parents.

“It’s nice to have a group of people you know are going through the same thing you are,” said Jared.

When they graduate, the Andersons are planning to look for positions in urban schools. “One of the reasons we chose UWM was because of its emphasis on culturally relevant teaching and urban education. A lot of education programs don’t focus on that enough,” said Amber.

Teaching science is one of their goals, but like Tyson they also want to teach children to think critically and find their own paths, said Amber. “We’re interested in educating kids to be well-rounded individuals, helping them discover their own strengths and weaknesses and improving their logical thinking. Science is a great medium for that.”