UK grad ready to teach students with disabilities

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 9, 2025) — ShoShana White radiates the kind of energy that lifts others up — a contagious spark that reflects her passion for helping students with disabilities thrive.   

The University of Kentucky College of Education senior is graduating today with a degree in special education, ready to step into a classroom of her own. 

“I want to be the voice for my students who don’t always know they have a voice,” White said. “They deserve to be heard, and I want to be someone who helps them have the education they deserve.” 

Her journey to becoming a teacher hasn’t been without challenges — especially this past year, when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Balancing coursework and student teaching while coping with a family crisis took a toll. But it was the people around her who helped her persevere. 

“My cohort and professors have been very supportive. I went through a lot, but it was the people around me who helped me push through it. The love and passion, that made me just want to go even harder,” she said. 

White credits the support and high expectations of UK College of Education Clinical Associate Professor Channon Horn, Ph.D., for pushing her forward. 

“She doesn’t let you slip through the cracks,” White said. “Without her, I would not be where I am today. She is always going to be there to support you and guide you to be the best individual and teacher you can be. My professionalism, my writing, that all came from her having such high expectations. I knew that even though her standards are high, I can be successful as long as I stick to it. That was the best thing for me.” 

Horn is proud of the exceptional educator White has become and is confident she will make a lasting difference in the lives of future generations. 

“ShoShana has been a force to be reckoned with during her time in our department,” Horn said. “She has an infectious personality and a strong work ethic. Her passion for special education and her ability to advocate for others will serve her future scholars well.” 

At first, White pursued neuroscience, drawn to understanding how the brain works, especially in children with autism. While studying neuroscience, she loved the opportunities she was given to tutor elementary students, teaching them about brain functions through fun activities. But eventually, the heavy science courses didn’t feel like the right fit.  

“When I thought about the things I want to do in my life, I thought to myself, you sound like a teacher,” she said. “I have always been the person you can call and say ‘hey, how do I do this?’ I love learning and I think it’s amazing that we can all keep growing and learning.” 

That revelation led her to special education — a field that combined her joy of learning with her lifelong commitment to kids with disabilities.  

“I realized I could use my voice and my love for this community in a powerful way,” she said. 

As a high school student, White volunteered to work with individuals with disabilities. She was a peer tutor and participated in Unified Sports — a program that brings together individuals with and without intellectual disabilities to compete together on the same team. That experience helped develop her passion for students who have moderate to severe disabilities — students she describes as unique and wonderfully themselves. 

“They’re just them and they always will be and I love how wholesome that is,” she said. “They don’t change for anyone’s opinion. Even on the hard days, I really love it.” 

As a special education major at UK, gaining hands-on experience in local classrooms has confirmed White’s sense that she is where she belongs. During her final semester, she is completing her student teaching hours in elementary and middle school special education classrooms. She said student teaching has been both challenging and deeply rewarding. 

“I’ve dealt with behaviors like no others,” she said with a laugh. “It was an amazing learning experience. I am so thankful to have had the cooperating teachers that I had. Watching and learning from them both has been the best thing. I was able to facilitate learning under them, but also independently.” 

White said she cried when she had to leave her elementary placement and expects more tears at the end of her final days in her current middle school placement.  

“I’ve loved every minute of it — the joy, the learning, the silly moments,” she said.  

This year, Kentucky introduced a stipend for student teachers, helping to ease the financial burden many face while working full time in classrooms. 

“It made a real difference,” White said. “We’re doing the work of teachers and being compensated shows that what we do matters.” 

Now, as graduation nears, White feels proud, hopeful and excited for what comes next. 

“It feels like I’ve done what I set out to do,” she said. “Like I’m stepping into my new era — one step closer to being where I want to be.” 

Soon, she will have a classroom of her own, filled with students who are learning, laughing and just being themselves — just like she has dreamed. 

“Every day, they are going to bring a smile to my face,” she said. “I can’t wait to watch them light up when they learn a new skill. They will feel so proud of themselves. Just as proud as I will be of them.”