Building on a Strong Foundation

When Natalia Bryja ’22, M.Ed. ’25, decided to seek her graduate degree in Teacher Leadership, there was little deliberation about which university she would choose—her Elmhurst undergraduate degree in early childhood education prepared her so well for her vocation as a kindergarten teacher that she knew the University was the best place to equip her with the skills to take her career to the next level.

Working with engaged faculty within a collaborative classroom environment has provided Bryja with opportunities to connect Elmhurst’s curriculum to her real-world experience, ensuring that she can embrace future career challenges with the creative problem-solving tools she needs to succeed.

Finding Her Place

Bryja began her Elmhurst journey as a first-generation transfer student. Once she decided on a major of early childhood education, she began researching schools that offered the program. Two things drew her to Elmhurst—small class sizes and the beauty of the tree-lined campus. “Elmhurst just really stood out to me. It was just visually appealing, with a calm, serene feel that I knew that would be a productive environment for me to continue my learning,” she says, adding, “The other reason was that I wanted smaller class sizes. I wanted that ability to engage with my professors and have them know who I am.”

Bryja says her transfer experience was seamless once she got to campus, even though it was initially a challenge to navigate the process as the first collegian in her family. She felt supported and welcomed by the Elmhurst community as a first-generation student, particularly within the education department. “I think the Early Childhood Program was especially supportive because we’re just so aware of how culture and upbringing affect our students and how important it is,” she says.

Getting Involved on Campus

When Bryja was commuting to campus as an undergrad, she stayed focused on learning, directing her energy into her coursework, while also making time to hang out with classmates and decompress from her studies. While she is still commuting and working as a full-time teacher, she currently finds herself more engaged in campus activities as a graduate student.

“I think it’s more common for people to get involved on campus as an undergrad, but I’m different,” says Bryja, who has helped create a teacher leadership coalition and is serving as a research assistant for professors Amy Passmore and Linda Dauksas, collecting data during focus groups with Oak Park families expecting children and/or with children up to 5 years old. The research project, in partnership with the nonprofit Collaboration for Early Childhood, aims to understand the hopes, needs and concerns related to caregivers who want to support their child’s development effectively. Bryja will continue to be involved with data analysis and disseminating findings as the project continues.

Learning Through Experience

In addition to opportunities for co-curricular learning, Bryja also appreciates Elmhurst’s well-rounded curriculum that fosters critical thinking skills, giving her the tools to approach challenges creatively. “There are other universities that don’t require the same level of critical thinking for assignments and projects and capstones,” she says. “For us to have the opportunity to question and really research what we are going into is amazing—not a lot of people get to do that. I feel like I am walking away with so much knowledge.”

One of Bryja’s favorite courses was MTL 521 (Building Professional and Community Relationships with Collaboration). For one assignment, she implemented a World Café-style conversation in her school community. The goal was to facilitate cultural representation, a topic near to her heart as a first-generation college student.

She used examples collected from student surveys, combined with a tiered approach to discussion (moving from facts to opinions and ideas), to drive a conversation that resulted in two action steps aimed at changing the narrative of how her school represents culture.

Bryja appreciated the hands-on opportunity to apply skills she learned at Elmhurst University to make a positive impact in her school community. “This was one of the most rewarding assignments I’ve done in my graduate studies,” she says. “It provided a safe space for me to lead conversations in a smaller capacity while also offering the opportunity to make real change in the work setting.”

Sharing Her Passion

Bryja currently teaches a class of 22 kindergarteners, without the help of an assistant or aide. “I feel like the program has set me up well for that,” she says of managing her busy classroom.

Her favorite thing about teaching is helping students find joy in their first school experiences. “I love being able to teach them the love of learning, and that I get to see their lightbulbs coming on—how excited they get when they finally realize they can read a sentence or read or write multiple sentences. It’s like they don’t know what they are capable of at the beginning of the year, but by the end, they are just so amazed at themselves.”

Stepping Stones to Success

The Elmhurst Teacher Leadership Program supports Bryja’s long-term goal of becoming an instructional coach in an elementary school setting. But the Homer Glen resident says that her graduate studies have already paid off in the workplace, where she was tapped to be team lead for the 2025-2026 school year and was invited to join the building improvement team, roles she considers stepping stones on her path as an educator.

Bryja is proud to be a Bluejay and enjoys both sharing her experiences with others and reminiscing with fellow alums about their time on campus. She encourages potential students to explore the ways an Elmhurst education might help them acquire the timeless knowledge and skills they need for career success.

“Because it was my first college experience, I think it speaks volumes that I chose to return. I just feel like Elmhurst has become a little piece of me—a little piece of home. I just really love the environment, the community and everything that it has offered and continues to offer me.”

Go Far. Do Well. Visit elmhurst.edu/Admission to take the first step toward your future.