A Job Loss Leads to a New Career for WNMU Elementary Education Major

When Victor Romero lost his job at the Chino Mine due to cutbacks at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, an opportunity arose to finally pursue a longtime dream of getting a higher education.

Romero was eligible for free tuition as part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance program overseen by the U.S. Department of Labor. He decided to take his career plans in an entirely new direction, and he enrolled at WNMU to study Elementary Education.

"When I lost my job in 2021, things were not easy," explained Romero. "But I wanted to be an inspiration for my kids to show them when there are hurdles, you can overcome them. … When things are tough, that is the time to rise."

His decision to study Elementary Education was inspired by his own childhood experiences as a bilingual (Spanish/English) student. Originally from Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Romero moved to El Paso as a child, where he attended elementary school. But Romero struggled as a child because his third-grade class was the first time he was taught in English, and his teacher did not know Spanish.

Those struggles are now an asset to Romero as he begins his teaching career. "I feel that I can be a great asset to bilingual students that grow up like me," he said. "I feel like I can help them a lot and bring a lot of pride back."

Romero, who is set to earn his bachelor's degree in December, is already teaching in the Deming school system, and he aspires to not only teach the children but also to help their parents learn English. Currently he is teaching both fourth- and fifth-grade bilingual classes.

One lesson he emphasizes in his classes is that it is okay to stumble. "That is something I want to teach my kids: we are going to make mistakes, and we are not going to make fun of anybody," he said. "We are going to make sure everybody learns, and if somebody makes a mistake, that is the way we are going to learn."

Romero said that his experiences at WNMU have helped him to hit the ground running during this first year of his new career. "I have had great professors here and mentors that have inspired me to be a better teacher," he said.

While his undergraduate path is ending, Romero emphasized that he is only part-way on his learning journey. "As a teacher," he said, "you are never going to stop learning."