Samantha Romero-Duenas

Major: Early Childhood Education

Samantha Romero-Duenas

Samantha Romero-Duenas never visited the Towson University campus before applying. “I took a leap of faith that Towson University was the right place for me,” recalls Romero-Duenas, who has never regretted her decision.

Romero-Duenas, a native of Peru who moved to the United States with her family about a decade ago, was inspired to become a teacher by her younger brother, who has autism. “I know I can help kids who have individual education plans (IEPs) like my brother had be successful in mainstream education,” she says. “I was once an English as a Second Language student, and I know what it feel likes to be different in the classroom. The support I received throughout my education has been critical to my success.”

“ You have to focus on the positive if you are going to be a successful teacher. ”

Samantha Romero-Duenas

In IEP meetings with her parents to discuss her brother’s education, she became aware of how often teachers focused on what her brother could not do. “You have to focus on the positive if you are going to be a successful teacher,” asserts Romero-Duenas.

Focusing on the positive comes easy to her. Romero-Duenas’ success as a resident assistant and in the classroom led to her membership in the National Residence Hall Honorary, an organization that includes only one percent of TU students based on grade point averages and service to campus. In addition to tutoring elementary and middle school students, she has worked as a child care provider, as a director for a summer program in Rockville, Md., and, most recently, as a pre-kindergarten teacher as part of her program at Towson University.

“I want to teach, but also want to return to school for my master’s in administration,” she explains. “I want to find any way I can to positively impact students.”