Kerri Johnson '23

Kerri Johnson ’23 can do the impossible: she can grant wishes. 

Sure, she’s technically majoring in Community Education and Social Change, the newest undergraduate major offered in the College of Education. But the skills she gained in her classes, specifically how to be a leader, how to put justice-based theory into practice, and how to think about equity from a critical point of view, all came together in an unforgettable internship with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, where she helped provide magical moments to critically ill children.

“The highlight of my internship was wish granting,” says Kerri, who had the opportunity to work directly with four different families in Massachusetts during the summer of her sophomore year. “It felt like I was telling them that they won the lottery.”

18 weeks and almost 300 hours later, Kerri completed her internship, having arranged wishes for a backyard playhouse, a hot tub, and a state-of-the-art computer setup. It was the creative aspect of figuring out how to transform a wish into reality that gave Kerri a deeper appreciation of how educators can make a difference in the world, even if they aren’t working in a classroom.

“It gave me a lot of perspective,” she said, noting that working for a nonprofit organization reminded her of the importance of slowing things down in her own life and intentionally thinking about the wellbeing of others.

 “I’ve realized how much I like listening to people and helping them. That’s the best thing about this major—the versatility of it.”

While her career goals are still subject to change, Kerri plans on pursuing academic advising or counseling. As a first-generation college student, she knows firsthand how beneficial it can be to have a strong support system throughout high school.

“I want to be there to listen to students, support them, and encourage them,” Kerri said. “Sometimes you need that person to push you and tell you that you can do things, or guide you in certain directions.”

At UMass Amherst, Kerri discovered her own supportive community, although it took different forms. One of the highlights was her classes in the College of Education.

“The thing I love about the College of Ed is that so many of our classes are discussion based,” she said. “I think that’s where you learn the most.”

Discussing topics like racial inequity and class privilege was a major turning point for her, she added, because those discussions prompted her to think about her own identity in ways she hadn’t always considered. 

“They pushed me to think about how I go about my daily life,” she said. “How I think about things now is so different from freshman year. I’ve just grown so much.”