Sophie Kamienski, now a freshman at Illinois, is the third generation to attend Illinois and study special education. She is joining her mother and grandmother as Illinois educators.
When Sophie Kamienski was in her first-year orientation, she was asked to take a survey. One of the questions was, "What made you choose the College of Education?" For Kamienski, a freshman Special Education major, there was one excellent reason. She wrote, "Both my mother and grandmother became teachers through the College of Education."
Being a third-generation Illinois graduate was an opportunity too good to pass up. Now Sophie is following in the footsteps of her mother, Kara Kamienski, '01 SPED, and grandmother, Cathy Jo Stratman, Ed.M. '99 SPED.
Drawn to the Classroom
"I remember playing teacher in my family's garage as early as kindergarten," says Cathy Jo, "We had a piece of blackboard hung there, and I spent many hours' teaching' my siblings, stuffed animals, and dolls." The attraction toward teaching was natural to Cathy Jo. After all, she had her father, Clifford Kilian, a science teacher in Hoopeston and Lockport, Illinois, to look up to.
After college, Cathy Jo spent 34 years teaching special education grade levels 5-12 at the Decatur Public School Co-op. "I started my career with a pullout classroom" where students would be taken out for special instruction but moved to co-teaching when that became the norm.
Kara followed in her mother's footsteps as a special education teacher. After graduating from Illinois, she taught in Rantoul, Illinois, Indiana, and held a unique position in the Peoria School system.
"I taught…in conjunction with St. Francis Hospital and served students in long-term care." She had students dealing with cancer, pregnancy, eating disorders, and rehabilitation. Now, she teaches academic, special education, and life-skills classes at Washington Community High School in Washington, Illinois.
Starting Early
Sophie remembers having similar feelings when she was young. "Since I was little, I loved going to school," she says, "the teachers I had were my biggest inspirations. As I grew older, the passion to become a teacher became stronger and stronger as I could see myself in that role."
For Kara, she got to see Sophie in a way that most parents don't, as her teacher. "I was Sophie's PE teacher last year," says Kara, "Sophie was part of our Unified PE Class- a class that pairs life skills students with peer buddies for PE class. Sophie was one of our student leaders and was integral in planning the curriculum, running the class, and building relationships among the athletes and buddies. She shined in this role, and I knew education was the perfect route for her!"
Memories of Illinois
Kara attended the University of Illinois as an undergraduate. She immediately got involved, spending much of her free time working with registered student organizations. "I was a part of the Student Ambassadors/Student Alumni Association," says Kara, "I was able to meet the most incredible student leaders who taught me so much about myself. I was also part of the Greek system and loved the sisterhood that I experienced."
Her favorite memory from her time at Illinois impressed upon her the importance of empathy. A local church held a walk-through empathy awareness project.
"You'd walk through room to room, and each room represented a different culture that had been excluded or ridiculed. They would put you in the room and make you feel like you were the one getting persecuted. I remember being so incredibly shaken and so incredibly upset upon leaving. That lone experience was truly life-changing, and I never looked at people the same again."
She says, "This is what makes Illinois so special. Everywhere around you are opportunities to grow. I learned an incredible amount in the classroom at Illinois, but what I learned outside of the classroom mattered even more."
Cathy Jo, meanwhile, was also attending college at the same time, attending a new program that allowed current teachers to take classes at night to get their Master's in Special Education. And even though she was taking night classes, she still got the Illinois Experience.
"Although the U of I seemed like such a huge school, we had our own group and thrived in that environment. I loved attending football and basketball games and watching the band. I also loved walking around the campus, especially the quad, and feeling a part of the spirit and tradition of Illinois."
The Next Generation
When it was time for Sophie to head to college, she had two Illinois grads to help guide her toward the classroom. Not that she needed to be convinced to come to Illinois.
"When I was younger, I would dream of going here." Sophie says, "The first time I officially visited campus as a prospective student was on a college visit in April of 2022. I instantly knew that this was the place for me. My favorite part of the visit was touring the College of Education and seeing where my dreams of becoming a teacher would come true."
And when that acceptance notification came, it was sealed. Sophie would be the third generation to go to Illinois and study Education.
When asked how being a third-generation Education student feels, Sophie says she's thankful for the opportunity. "My mom and grandma have both had very rewarding and successful careers as special education teachers, and I know that comes partly from the preparation they received at Illinois. Following in their footsteps and reaching for a rewarding career helping people I am passionate about is very close to my heart. I want to work every day in my studies to live up to the standards of being the best teacher I can be."
"I feel incredibly proud of Sophie for finding her place at the University of Illinois," says her mother, Kara. "I know she has all the pieces to be an amazing teacher: the heart, the drive, and the natural-born leadership. But I am excited for her to fill the last part with the sound best practices that Illinois teaches. I felt incredibly prepared coming out of college for my first classroom, and I know she will also. Even though there was no pressure on her to choose the U of I, I am so happy she did! We love sharing experiences like football games, little campus traditions, and so on together!
Of course, her grandmother Cathy Jo and mother Kara had advice for her as she headed off to school.
"My only advice to Sophie was to go her way and get involved in what would make her happy," said Cathy Jo. "What worked for my daughter and me were just examples of the opportunities available at Illinois. I want her to be independent and active and to pursue what she enjoys."
Kara advises her always to have balance. "Too much work or too much fun is not a good thing. Mostly, I want her to cherish every opportunity she has there. She'll text me sometimes and ask, 'Should I go to this?' and my answer is always 'YES!' I want her to meet as many people from all walks of life as she did during her time there. My most cherished memories from college are the people I got to know from different cultures. Illinois is full of incredible people with amazing stories to tell."
The College of Education is honored to be a part of this multi-generational Illinois story.
