After growing up in Ankeny, Alexa Long ’21 planned to leave Iowa for college—but a visit to Iowa State changed everything.

“I whispered to my mom in the middle of the campus tour, ‘Don’t tell Dad yet, but I’m going to come to school here,’” she said. “I absolutely fell in love with the campus and the people I met during the tour, and the guide was phenomenal.”

Similarly, Long initially planned to major in business or political science, but changed course after working at a school-based enrichment program in high school.

“I loved the programming I was helping with where I was working. I was passionate about seeing the kids grow up in front of me and learn,” she said. “So the summer before I started classes at Iowa State, I called and changed my major to elementary education.”

In her coursework, Long encountered learning experiences that shaped her approach to teaching. One class that stood out was Teaching and Learning in a Pluralistic Society, taught by School of Education professor Diana Figueredo. The course examines teaching from personal, classroom, and systems perspectives, and explores how educators can understand students’ backgrounds and experiences to inform instruction.

“I remember feeling like every single thing she was telling me was life-changing and brand new,” she said. “For one activity, we had cardstock sheets with glasses on them, and she taught us about all the different lenses and how the experiences we have change the way we view everything. I’ve done that with students I’ve taught.”

She said those lessons continue to influence her work.

“I think about my time at Iowa State all the time,” she said. “I’ve had students who have lived and experienced things that I’ve never lived and experienced, and I feel well-equipped to teach them.”

Long’s coursework also prepared her in areas she initially found challenging.

“Math was never my thing,” she said. “But I learned it in a way I could teach it, and I kept the materials from my classes at Iowa State so I could use those with my students.”

Long graduated with endorsements in English as a second language (ESL), reading, English and language arts, and mathematics. She then spent four years as a middle school ESL teacher with the Ankeny Community School District, supporting students from a wide range of backgrounds.

During that time, she saw a growing need for language support in her district.

“The school I was at had 18 students who needed ESL services when I started, and a few years later, they had 67,” she said.

As that need grew, Long began taking additional responsibilities supporting both students and teachers, which led her to transition into an instructional coach position at an Ankeny elementary school.

“My role now is to support and partner with teachers, whether it’s co-teaching or being in their classrooms,” she said. “I was worried I wouldn’t get to work with students as much, but I’m in classrooms with kids every day, and I’m so glad I still get that fulfillment.”

The work allows Long to help both students and teachers succeed in a variety of ways. She helps teachers refine lessons, supports the implementation of new curricula, leads professional learning, and analyzes student data to guide instruction.

Looking back, Long credits Iowa State with preparing her for success in her career.

“Ask all the questions you have, because all the instructors are so willing to listen and jump in with you and help you grow. They truly want you to know as much as you can, and they want to share their expertise with you,” she said. “It was also so helpful that we got to teach in classrooms so early, so get into as many classrooms as you can for as long as you can. You learn so much in those experiences, and being able to then take those into your own classroom is so important.”

Long also built lasting connections with her fellow elementary education majors—relationships she still relies on in her career today.

“The way classes are structured mimics what it’s like to be in an elementary classroom, so we had the same cohort of students that we were with all semester,” she said. “It was wonderful to be with others who are all learning the same thing and have the same goals. I don’t think there’s anybody in those classes that I was with that I don’t still talk to.”

Those relationships, along with the experiences she gained at Iowa State, continue to inform the way Long supports students and teachers today.