Diana Fonseca Garcia

“I know what it’s like to come to a country and not know a certain language, or not be able to know who to talk to because there’s a language barrier. I feel like I have a lot to offer as a principal.”

-Diana Fonseca Garcia

Diana Fonseca Garcia aims to become a teacher, and eventually become a principal. When she isn’t studying, Diana enjoys reading poetry and painting outdoors.

Get to know Diana

• Major: Early childhood education
• Class: Senior
• Hometown: Marshalltown, Iowa (Marshall County)
• Career goal: Become a teacher, and eventually a principal
• Clubs/activities: Phi Upsilon Omicron Honor Society
• Awards/honors: Dean’s list, Benjamin/Mericle Family Fund, Olsen Family Scholarship
• Favorite place on campus: Lagomarcino Hall
• Most influential ISU mentor: Sara Nelson
• Favorite class: HD FS 343, Assessment and Curriculum: Ages 3 Through 6 Years
• Why Iowa State: Beautiful campus, perfect distance from hometown

Diana Fonseca Garcia aims to become teacher and principal, implement language technology in elementary schools

Before transferring to Iowa State University from a community college in her hometown of Marshalltown, Iowa, Diana Fonseca Garcia knew she wanted a career that involved working with children.

After spending a summer working with children of all ages at Bobcat University, a summer program for kids in Marshalltown, she narrowed down her interest to working with young elementary students.

“What I like about [early childhood education] is the human development behind it,” Diana said. “I like knowing the psychology and development behind the students at that age. I feel like that’s a really crucial age.”

After graduating, Diana would love to work as a teacher at an elementary school in central Iowa. Preferably, she’d enjoy working in Marshalltown, where she lives now, or in Tama, another area she spent time growing up in.

As a former English language learner (ELL) student that went to school in the Marshalltown School District, she has firsthand knowledge about what would help the district’s elementary students. Diana wants to apply her knowledge from her minor in learning technologies to help ELL students in the classroom.

There is a dual language program implemented in one of Marshalltown School District’s six elementary schools, which allows students to take half of their day’s classes in English and the other half in Spanish. Diana wants to find a way to use technology to implement this program in the district’s five other schools.

“I think in diverse communities like Marshalltown, technology is your best bet now,” Diana said. “It’s just being able to get around and communicate with students that aren’t able to do so yet.”

But that’s not where Diana’s dreams end. After making an impact as a teacher, Diana eventually wants to exert more positive change as an elementary school principal. She feels that having a multilingual background will help her succeed as both a teacher and a principal, but being a principal will allow her to connect with a larger body of students.

“I know what it’s like to come to a country and not know a certain language, or not be able to know who to talk to because there’s a language barrier,” Diana said. “I feel like I have a lot to offer as a principal.”