A little about me...
"We all stand on the shoulders of giants"
Hello! My name is Nicole Saal, a Graduate student of the 1-year Masters Credential Cohort program (MCC) at the University of San Diego. Living in Downtown San Diego's Little Italy, I love spending my free time with family and friends, enjoying my time outdoors with our beautiful weather here. I'm also a Registered Yoga Teacher, taking any opportunity I can to deepen my own practice, as well as teaching sunrise yoga sessions in the park and private clientele. I would like to share with you a little bit about my story and my path towards a career in Education...
I was born in Portola Valley, CA, a small town just outside of Palo Alto, attending the local Ormondale Elementary School before moving on to Menlo School for both middle and high school. As the awkward child, I struggled to find my place in social circles. I kept to myself throughout elementary school, desperately clinging to my older sister with the hopes that she would induct in me into her circle of "cool" (Though she most definitely despised my pestering during these years, our relationship inevitably transformed. There is no better best friend than a sister). It wasn't until middle school that I began to come into my own (Though many may argue I've never fully grown out of those awkward years).
My entire world began to change once I was introduced to Spanish in the sixth grade. Finally, I thought, something I'm good at. Those superior grades motivated me to explore the language, peeking my curiosity. I went on to study Spanish throughout high school, later earning a Bachelor's Degree in Spanish Language Arts and Culture from the University of San Diego in 2006. I was accepted into USD's School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES), the program I'm currently enrolled in. At the time, however, I wasn't ready. I've always had a passion for art, fashion and design. I knew I'd always wonder what if had I not pursued fashion. I deferred admission to SOLES and relocated to Manhattan Beach, CA, a small beach town in Los Angeles. I went on to earn an advanced degree in Merchandise Product Development from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.
Upon graduating, I dove into the field, effectively working my way up, from unpaid apprentice to lead designer at two well-respected companies in the industry. Life was as I'd always imagined, my family often joking I'd triumphed over "The Devil Wears Prada". If this is my dream, I thought, why am I lacking a sense of personal fulfillment? As I lay in bed every night, I secretly whisper to myself, "what did I really do today?" One night, after an especially grueling day, I call my mom. She asks me a simple question that will forever resonate with me: where will a thousand days like this lead you? I know it is my time to change, but I'm petrified to leave all that I've worked so hard for, to venture off into the seemingly unknown.
After many long talks with my family, along with extensive personal reflection, I realize I'd already found what I'd been looking for all along: Education. Six years after abandoning SOLES for FIDM, I now understand the circuitous nature of life, and the true meaning of the phrase nothing before it's time. I encountered this path once before. This time, I'm ready.
As my dad often reminds me, We all stand on the shoulders of giants. No matter the field of work, we all build on the great minds and the great work of the past. My future success as an educator is build upon the foundation laid by those before me. I'm driven by the desire to educate, to inform, and to inspire those around me, just as my past and present teachers have done, and are doing, for me (a special thanks to Bill McPhaul, my high school Spanish teacher, and Liz Perry, my professor at USD and Mentor at HTH).
Please follow me on this amazing journey, starting with my first year as an MCC student and my experiences as a first-year teacher at a remarkable high school in Point Loma, CA...
Hello! My name is Nicole Saal, a Graduate student of the 1-year Masters Credential Cohort program (MCC) at the University of San Diego. Living in Downtown San Diego's Little Italy, I love spending my free time with family and friends, enjoying my time outdoors with our beautiful weather here. I'm also a Registered Yoga Teacher, taking any opportunity I can to deepen my own practice, as well as teaching sunrise yoga sessions in the park and private clientele. I would like to share with you a little bit about my story and my path towards a career in Education...
I was born in Portola Valley, CA, a small town just outside of Palo Alto, attending the local Ormondale Elementary School before moving on to Menlo School for both middle and high school. As the awkward child, I struggled to find my place in social circles. I kept to myself throughout elementary school, desperately clinging to my older sister with the hopes that she would induct in me into her circle of "cool" (Though she most definitely despised my pestering during these years, our relationship inevitably transformed. There is no better best friend than a sister). It wasn't until middle school that I began to come into my own (Though many may argue I've never fully grown out of those awkward years).
My entire world began to change once I was introduced to Spanish in the sixth grade. Finally, I thought, something I'm good at. Those superior grades motivated me to explore the language, peeking my curiosity. I went on to study Spanish throughout high school, later earning a Bachelor's Degree in Spanish Language Arts and Culture from the University of San Diego in 2006. I was accepted into USD's School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES), the program I'm currently enrolled in. At the time, however, I wasn't ready. I've always had a passion for art, fashion and design. I knew I'd always wonder what if had I not pursued fashion. I deferred admission to SOLES and relocated to Manhattan Beach, CA, a small beach town in Los Angeles. I went on to earn an advanced degree in Merchandise Product Development from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.
Upon graduating, I dove into the field, effectively working my way up, from unpaid apprentice to lead designer at two well-respected companies in the industry. Life was as I'd always imagined, my family often joking I'd triumphed over "The Devil Wears Prada". If this is my dream, I thought, why am I lacking a sense of personal fulfillment? As I lay in bed every night, I secretly whisper to myself, "what did I really do today?" One night, after an especially grueling day, I call my mom. She asks me a simple question that will forever resonate with me: where will a thousand days like this lead you? I know it is my time to change, but I'm petrified to leave all that I've worked so hard for, to venture off into the seemingly unknown.
After many long talks with my family, along with extensive personal reflection, I realize I'd already found what I'd been looking for all along: Education. Six years after abandoning SOLES for FIDM, I now understand the circuitous nature of life, and the true meaning of the phrase nothing before it's time. I encountered this path once before. This time, I'm ready.
As my dad often reminds me, We all stand on the shoulders of giants. No matter the field of work, we all build on the great minds and the great work of the past. My future success as an educator is build upon the foundation laid by those before me. I'm driven by the desire to educate, to inform, and to inspire those around me, just as my past and present teachers have done, and are doing, for me (a special thanks to Bill McPhaul, my high school Spanish teacher, and Liz Perry, my professor at USD and Mentor at HTH).
Please follow me on this amazing journey, starting with my first year as an MCC student and my experiences as a first-year teacher at a remarkable high school in Point Loma, CA...