Allison Kirkman '25 | Master of Arts in Teaching, concentration in history and special education | Internship: Spring 2025 | Presidential Fund for Equity Recipient 

When it came time to interview for a teaching position, Allison Kirkman ’25M felt calm and confident. After working through her nerves as a student teacher, she impressed her future employer and landed the job with ease. 

“Student teaching made me so much more comfortable in terms of my special education knowledge and adapting instruction for student needs, which was essential to talk about during the interview,” said Kirkman, now Wappinger Junior High School’s newest 8th grade special education teacher for the 2025–26 school year. It’s the same school where she interned, impressed her mentors, earned strong recommendations—and ultimately launched her career in education. 

As part of her Master of Arts in Teaching program, Kirkman completed a semester of on-the-job training before graduating in spring 2025. That meant stepping away from her job in Marist’s Admission Office and pausing her side hustle teaching gymnastics in her hometown of Mahopac, N.Y. It also meant going without a paycheck. 

Allison relied on assistance from the Presidential Fund for Equity in the Marist Experience to help her navigate the financial burden of an unpaid, full-time internship. The stipend helped her offset the cost of traveling five days a week to Wappinger Junior High and paid for lesson plan supplies.   

“The fund put my mind at ease, knowing I would be able to focus on my students’ needs and completing the MAT requirements to be a successful candidate for graduation,” the History Honors Society member said.  

Freed from the stress of daily expenses, Allison was able to focus on learning everything she could as a teacher-in-training. She discovered she genuinely enjoyed working with middle schoolers. 

“They are fantastic,” she said. “They are old enough to articulate how they feel and have real conversations, but young enough to be excited to learn.”  

Allison admired her faculty mentors, especially 7th grade Social Studies teacher Rich Coelho, whom she described as “the most outgoing teacher I have ever met.” She credited him with shaping much of her growth as an educator. 

“I really felt a connection within the school,” she said. “They practice what they preach, and that creates a positive experience.” 

At just 23, Allison is already well on her way to achieving her dream job. 

“I always pictured myself being a professor in some sort of way, maybe even at Marist,” she said. “This was my top choice when I applied to colleges, and every experience I've had affirmed that Marist was the right choice for me.”