Sophia Cuellar

Why did you decide to come to MSU and pursue a degree in education?

When applying for colleges, I made sure to apply to each college in Mississippi as to keep my options open. Additionally, as a first-generation college student, I did not know how to pick a school that was the best fit for me. After researching and talking to different advisors and MSU recruiters, I was drawn to the university due to all of the outstanding opportunities for education majors. Essentially, I chose Mississippi State because it is a school that caters to a diverse group of people who want to become teachers or work in education. The MET program, specifically, is a wonderful program that will be a great deal of support throughout my 4-year journey at Mississippi State University.

What do you want people to know about you?

My name is Sophia Cuellar, but all of my friends and family know me as Sophie. I am Mexican-American, bilingual, and a first-generation college student. I was born in Texas, but I grew up in Mexico up until age seven. Afterwards, my family and I migrated to the US where I lived in Louisiana for two years. Finally, I moved to my hometown where I spent most of grade school in Pascagoula, Mississippi. In high school, I was constantly changing what I wanted to study in college until my junior year when I took a Teacher Academy class. In this class I was able to learn so much about myself and the teaching profession. I truly fell in love with this career and became so passionate about it. I am very excited to pursue my education at Mississippi State, and I am looking forward to being involved in many student organizations and to making wonderful relationships with other students and MSU staff!

What advice would you give to entering freshmen or students finishing up high school?

My advice to students in high school is to build a lot of relationships with teachers in high school, because teachers will help anyone out as long as you ask them and are respectful towards them. Also, it is important to maintain consistency even when you feel like giving up. Make sure you are always staying on top of assignments and try not to get too backed up on school work.