Welcome to the ninth “spotlight” blog post featuring one of the student leaders of SEA & KDP at Governors State University!

   This week, our spotlight leader is:   
KAITLYN ZALKOWSKI
Newest SEA Leader

Kaitlyn Zalkowski is a 21 year old student in the Elementary Education program with a specialization in Math at Governors State University. She aspires to teach 2nd, 3rd, or 4th grade when she graduates with her bachelors degree. 

Some of her fondest memories at GSU were when she became a leader of SEA and bonded with the other leaders at the IEA 2019 student conference. Kaitlyn would consider making the Dean’s list every semester that she’s been in college to be her biggest accomplishment.

In her free time, Kaitlyn loves to make crafts, like paintings and drawings, and going to concerts, which she does several times a year. In addition, she truly enjoys outdoor activities like hiking and camping. She would highly recommend that people horseback ride either in the Rocky or Smoky Mountains National Park, both of which she has experienced already. Kaitlyn has trouble describing in words how beautiful the scenery and overall experience was for her.

While at home, Kaitlyn enjoys watching several of her favorite TV-shows including One Tree Hill, F.R.I.E.N.D.S, and This Is Us. She has way too many favorite movies and struggles to select just one. Some of her favorite foods are pizza, chicken, and tacos. She loves the smell of food and her house. Kaitlyn’s mom uses the best candles and matches the scents to the season! 

If Kaitlyn had to choose something she couldn’t live without, it would have to be her family and boyfriend. They motivate and support her in anything she decides to pursue. She can’t imagine how her life would have turned out without them. The person that Kaitlyn looks up to the most is her mother who she considers to be the strongest person she knows. Kaitlyn’s mom always motivates her to be a better person and encourages her to always do the right thing. 

Currently, Kaitlyn is a front desk worker at Planet Fitness. If she was ever given the chance to pursue an office job, Kaitlyn would be bored out of her mind just sitting around. She’d be too antsy! A movie title that best describes Kaitlyn’s life would be Say Anything because she believes that people should feel free to say what’s on their mind and express their emotions. Kaitlyn tries to live by one of her favorite quotes, “She was unstoppable not because she did not have failures or doubts, but because she continues on despite them” – Beau Taplin.

In the next few months, Kaitlyn is looking forward to going to Florida. She’ll be visiting Disney World for the first time and reconnecting with her sister who she hasn’t seen for months. While in Florida, Kaitlyn is also excited to try fishing from an actual boat. She’s fished only offshore before. In the next 10 years, Kaitlyn is looking forward to graduating, becoming a teacher, moving in with her boyfriend, and getting married. Kaitlyn hopes that people will remember her as a kind and loyal person and that she makes a difference in peoples’ lives.

If you have any questions to ask Kaitlyn or would simply like to share your thoughts, please use the comment section below. Thank you!

Information Provided by Kaitlyn Zalkowski
Spotlight Post Written by Sireen Hamarshah