Rosalie Casavant

When Rosalie Casavant opened a time capsule from her kindergarten days, she found a letter from her younger self expressing her wish to be a teacher. More than a decade later, a summer camp job after her first year of college confirmed that teaching was the right path for Casavant. The experience showed her how much of an impact she could have on students’ lives. 

“After that, I got to thinking about how you can really shape the way that a child grows up,” says Casavant, a native of Dracut. 

Casavant transferred to UMass Lowell from the University of Vermont as a sophomore to pursue a bachelor’s degree in education, elementary education and moderate disabilities option. 

During her first semester at UMass Lowell, Casavant began gaining hands-on teaching experience at several elementary schools around Lowell.

“When I started getting those experiences, I realized it was what I wanted to do,” she says. 

Casavant, an Honors College student, appreciates the education program’s combination of academic preparation and career-connected experience.

“The faculty love what they're doing, and they love teaching people how to do it, too,” Casavant says.  

As a junior, Casavant became the lead student ambassador for the School of Education. She leads a team of five students who work with program coordinators to help new students navigate the field of education, from course selection to teacher certification.

Casavant’s love of connecting with people and public speaking also led her to become the undergraduate campus tour student coordinator. She works in a team of three that manages and trains the 27 student tour guides on staff. 

One perk of the job was that it gave her a strong community. 

“Working as a tour guide and getting involved on campus led me to the friends I have now,” she says. 

Casavant also holds two mentorship positions. Through the Office of Student Life and Well-Being, she serves as a well-being leader for students in the College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. 

“It seemed like a great opportunity to be well and help others be well,” she says. 

Casavant also serves as a peer mentor with the Massachusetts Inclusive Postsecondary Education (MAIPSE) program. Launched at UMass Lowell in the fall of 2026, the program expands access to college for students with disabilities. Peer mentors like Casavant provide MAIPSE students with individualized academic and social support. 

“Hanging out with my mentee Eric is always the highlight of my day,” says Casavant, who meets with him each Wednesday. 

Casavant is also helping launch the Student Education Association of Massachusetts chapter at UMass Lowell with Clinical Professor Patricia Fontaine; Casavant will serve as co-chair of the UMass Lowell cohort. The organization has a partnership with the Massachusetts Teachers Association. 

“Our goal is connecting pre-service teachers with resources that are useful to them postgrad,” she says. 

Through hands-on teaching experiences, Casavant found that special education piqued her interest. When working with students and learning about their individualized learning goals, she realized she liked the problem-solving skills and flexibility that special education requires. 

This has led to her interest in becoming a board-certified behavior analyst. Another future path she’s considering: UMass Lowell’s master’s program in education administration, to create further opportunities for special education students. 

“I realized we need special educators everywhere, and I really like that field,” says Casavant.