Building a career to help others
Matthew Tuorto '16
Psychology & early childhood education major dedicated to student success
By Gavin Kemery ’20
Matthew Tuorto ’16 discovered a yearning to help others early in his college career. His double major in psychology and early childhood education granted him the skills, but his internship at William Penn Elementary School brought his dreams to life. While working with the Community Outreach Program at the school, he gained experience in resource finding, event planning, and meeting with students one on one. Since reaching out to his site supervisor at William Penn, Tuorto has been immersed in priceless, real-world experience that has not only helped him grow as a student, but also as an individual.
After student teaching for a semester, Tuorto, a product of Verona, New Jersey, found his passion burning ever brighter, wishing to continue working with young students. Of the many valuable lessons he has obtained through his internship, he developed a strong sense of empathy. “My goal was to help these students and provide them with any resources or positive encouragement that they need,” he says. Working with less fortunate children enabled him to firmly grasp the harsh reality of some, while introducing him to new horizons and opportunities in the psychological aspects of education.
“My goal was to help these students and provide them with any resources or positive encouragement that they need.” — Matthew Tuorto ’16
Tuorto also found the lessons and methods taught in his 91Ƭ classes to deeply reflect that of what is seen in the workplace. Thanks to the relevant preparation he received from his professors, Tuorto was able to integrate the things he already learned into his internship—decreasing his ‘learning curve’ and increasing his opportunity to truly make a difference, even as an intern. His involvement in the community was similar to how he applied himself to various clubs and organizations at the University—like the Psychology Club, the Psychology Honor Society, the William-Penn Mentoring Program, and the Education Honor Society. His dedication to these groups helped bolster his professionalism as well as enhance his resume for future opportunities.
At the close of his internship, Tuorto was more certain than ever about dedicating his career to helping children and those around him succeed. “This experience has provided me with feelings of passion and excitement for my future plans,” he said. He maintains his dream to become an elementary school teacher and continue his passion for mentoring students in need. His ultimate goal: to let them know that they will always be loved and accepted.