{"id":13240,"date":"2025-12-22T09:16:54","date_gmt":"2025-12-22T15:16:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/?post_type=campus_story&p=13240"},"modified":"2025-12-22T09:16:54","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T15:16:54","slug":"uw-eau-claire-special-education-grad-inspired-by-family","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/uw-eau-claire-special-education-grad-inspired-by-family\/","title":{"rendered":"UW-Eau Claire special education grad inspired by family"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Not all students at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire can pinpoint exactly who or what inspired their academic or career path. But for December graduate Zoe Lewis, that answer is an easy one.<\/p>\n

Her mother and siblings are the reason she has always known that special education teaching was the path for her.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI have two siblings on the autism spectrum,\u201d Lewis says. “I saw the impact on parents, especially my mom, over many years of being their advocate. I want to be a teacher who supports the whole family as part of a team supporting their child.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood communication with families can make a major difference, and I have insight about what works,\u201d Lewis says about leaning on her family\u2019s experiences. \u201cThat\u2019s what I will bring to the table.\u201d<\/p>\n

Student opportunities made campus choice easy<\/h3>\n
\"Photo:<\/a>
This fall, Lewis has been completing her full-time teaching practicum, commuting to her placement from her family home in Savage, Minnesota. She made a weekend trip to campus recently for cap and gown photos with friends.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI really never thought I\u2019d end up at a Wisconsin school, but after one visit, I knew this was the place for me,\u201d says the Savage, Minnesota, native about choosing to attend UW-Eau Claire.<\/p>\n

Lewis says that the beauty of the campus hooked her right away, along with a feeling of home she immediately felt during her visit. Knowing that the university is nationally recognized for both undergraduate research and study abroad programming held significant sway in her mind, but one last option sealed the deal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe other deciding factor was that I did not want to give up singing in choir,\u201d Lewis says. \u201cMusic has been a huge part of my life for a long time, and even as a non-music major, I\u2019ve had abundant opportunities to sing and perform here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Student research aimed at career longevity<\/h3>\n

Lewis has a solid understanding of what families of special needs students face, and thanks to a student-faculty research collaboration in 2023-24, she is now well-prepared for the struggles faced every day by teachers in special education classrooms.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur project, mentored by Dr. Angela Jones, set out to examine the early childhood teaching environment and pinpoint key factors that are leading to educators leaving the field,\u201d Lewis says.<\/p>\n

Lewis eventually presented the project at the 2023 Division of Early Childhood International Conference in Minneapolis, the UW-Eau Claire 2024 Celebration of Excellence in Research and Creative Activity and the 2025 Research in the Rotunda event in Madison.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur key findings show that educators leave the field due to a phenomenon known as \u2018compassion fatigue,\u2019 along with experiencing low levels of both institutional support and meaningful collaboration with families,\u201d Lewis says. Their findings have since been shared with early childhood education facilities in the Chippewa Valley in the hopes that \u201csome of these issues can be improved and teachers will stay around longer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Angela Jones, associate professor of special education, was impressed with Lewis as a student researcher, one with \u201cremarkable discipline, curiosity and methodological rigor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe themes Zoe identified illustrate her technical skill and nuanced understanding of the emotional landscape of early educators navigating post-COVID conditions,\u201d Jones says.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer analysis was both analytically strong and deeply respectful of the voices of early childhood teachers. The study highlighted how real-world working conditions intersect with purpose, relationships and mental load in ways that shape educators\u2019 decisions to remain in or leave the field.\u201d<\/p>\n

Study abroad and campus involvement raised the bar for success<\/h2>\n

In addition to her proactive approach to her upcoming career, Lewis has also paid careful attention to the more personal ways she could practice self-care as a student and seek opportunities for growth and work-life balance. For her, music and a summer study abroad program accomplished those goals.<\/p>\n

This past summer, Lewis studied British literature for six weeks at Harlaxton College in Grantham, England, an experience she says was life-changing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew it would be incredible, and the preparation from UWEC helped make it even more so,\u201d Lewis says. \u201cI recommend study abroad for anyone who can fit it in. There are many types of experiences with varying lengths of stay, and financial aid and scholarships are available. You learn about the place, the culture, and most importantly, about yourself. I\u2019m forever grateful for the opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lewis also credits her vocal performance opportunities as another set of affirming student experiences.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing active in multiple choral groups on campus has truly been transformative,\u201d Lewis says about her participation in Treble and Symphonic choirs, Cabaret and the Audacious a cappella ensemble.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m still learning how best to create balance in my life and career, and doing things I love is a big part of that,\u201d Lewis says. \u201cI didn\u2019t want to be a music teacher, but I also never wanted to have to give up singing \u2014 here, I didn\u2019t have to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Lewis took part in the annual Cabaret production each January, one of the biggest and longest-standing, student-run music and theatre arts endeavors on campus. She is pictured here in the 2024 show, “On the Silver Screen.”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The a cappella community at UW-Eau Claire is strong, and the five ensembles often come together for performance and outreach activities. For Lewis, this community created an important avenue for community advocacy work.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur vocal groups have organized and hosted two major fundraisers for nonprofits in the community. We raised over $2,000 each, for the Wellness Shack and the Sojourner House, which both serve area populations in need. This fundraising work is now a solid tradition for Blugold a cappella, one that I\u2019m so proud will continue for years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Karsten Powell, associate professor of special education, has worked with Lewis as her internship mentor in the Human Development Center and in connection with fundraising events. He says that in her time as a Blugold, she has consistently demonstrated the traits needed to not only succeed, but to change special education for the better.<\/p>\n

\u201cZoe has a singular ability to engage those around her, drawing people in with her welcoming, open charisma and connecting deeply with peers, professors and students alike,\u201d Powell says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese remarkable and intangible traits will undoubtedly be on display each day as she teaches and advocates for her students with disabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lewis has recently accepted a special education teaching job in the Lakeville, Minnesota, public school district. When asked about entering the field of special education at what can be described as challenging times, Lewis shows once again that her strengths and attitude will take her far in a long-planned career.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith all the changes happening, sure it\u2019s scary, but it\u2019s also a perfect and constant reminder to us all exactly why we are here \u2014 it\u2019s for the kids. Not every career gives the opportunity to change a life, every single day,\u201d Lewis says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose of us who can maintain that focus are the special education teachers who will stick around.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Written by UW-Eau Claire<\/p>\n

Link to original story: https:\/\/www.uwec.edu\/stories\/uw-eau-claire-special-education-grad-inspired-family<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Not all students at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire can pinpoint exactly who or what inspired their academic or career path. But for December graduate Zoe Lewis, that answer is an easy one. Her mother and siblings are the reason she has always known that special education teaching was the path for her. \u201cI have […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":13243,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","institution":[96],"story_category":[147,146],"class_list":["post-13240","campus_story","type-campus_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","institution-uw-eau-claire","story_category-community","story_category-research-innovation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story\/13240","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/campus_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13240"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13243"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"institution","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/institution?post=13240"},{"taxonomy":"story_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story_category?post=13240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}