Grads at a Glance: A Young Teacher’s Dream Comes Full Circle

A young woman with shoulder-length dark hair wears a golden sash and holds a graduation cap in front of the UAlbany fountain that reads "To teach is to love"

Maria Latorre (Photo provided)

ALBANY, N.Y. (May 12, 2026) — Maria Latorre’s dreams of becoming a teacher began young. She remembers returning home from elementary school, eager to teach her stuffed animals everything she had learned that day from the teachers she admired so much.

Maria Latorre. Hometown: Glenmont, N.Y. Program: M.S. Special Education and Literacy. Next Steps: Teaching locally.

Like many people, Latorre’s dreams shifted as she grew and for a time she considered becoming a pediatrician — until her senior year at Bethlehem Central High School when an experience volunteering in a kindergarten classroom helped revive her passion for teaching.

“As soon as I stepped into the classroom, I knew I was meant to be a teacher,” she said. “The more time I spent in schools, the more I knew that my younger self was right — I was born to teach.”

A young woman with long dark hair in a black blouse smiles for a portrait against a blue backdrop

Latorre, 23, is about to fulfill her childhood dream. She graduates from UAlbany this summer with a Master of Science in Special Education and Literacy, and plans to take a job teaching full time in a local school district.

“I chose UAlbany because I wanted to stay close to my family and my job,” she said. “I also loved that UAlbany had a BS/MS program in Special Education and Literacy that would allow me to begin taking graduate courses my senior year of undergrad. I also was excited to be part of a large university, while having the smaller School of Education community to call home.”

While at UAlbany, Latorre was able to student teach in the Menands and North Colonie school districts, working across a variety of grades and settings.

“These experiences further fueled my passion for teaching, as I have been so inspired by the teachers and students I've learned from,” she said. “I have learned so many strategies that I am so excited to bring with me into my own classroom.”

Latorre hopes to teach early elementary grades, citing a passion for helping young learners develop foundational skills they will carry the rest of their lives.

“I truly believe teachers change the world by shaping young minds who will lead our future,” she said. “I am passionate about building students' confidence as learners, helping them to view learning as fun, and advocating for their needs. I want children to know that they can make the world a better place by using what they've learned.”