About Me

My name is Naomi Ruscitti. I was born in England along with my two older brothers (I am the youngest and the only girl). My dad was in the US Air Force and was stationed in the U.K. He ended up transferring over to the US Navy which took me to Norfolk, VA for my kindergarten schooling.  I then attended 1st grade in Terre Haute, IN because my dad transferred as a recruiter.  After my father got out of the military he became a police officer in Effingham, IL which is where I spent my second grade through sophomore year of high school. I moved to Suffolk, VA to complete my junior and senior year of high school due to my dad re-joining the Navy.  After I graduated, I decided to join the Navy myself. I spent 6 years in the military as a medical assistant: 2 years in Japan and 4 here in California.  While I was in Japan, I took a few classes at the University of Maryland Far East Asia (I even met my husband and got married there too). I decided to get out of the Navy in January 2011 and began my first semester at Palomar College, San Marcos.  I attended there from spring 2011 to fall 2012 and just transferred to CSUSM this spring semester. I applied for the ICP program and plan on graduating with my BA and credentials in spring 2016.  I have always done pretty well in school, but never really loved it.  Some of the teachers and programs are the reasons I didn’t really enjoy school growing up. I have enjoyed my schooling since I’ve been attending Palomar, and I’ve been feeling excited to be going back to school after all these years.
The technology continuum…I’m not very high up on it at all.  Technology is something that has not gotten my interest.  I remember having DSL when I was about 11 or 12 years old: my parents bought the computer to help my brothers and me with our homework because we didn’t live near a library. I also remember having instant messaging. I know basic skills of computers, Wiis, and iPhones. To be honest, technology makes me nervous. I am not very savvy with it, so I get worried about the security issue. I’ve heard about friends on Facebook getting stalked or stabbed by old friends who found them. I know that the “technology revolution” is huge, and I know that I need to become knowledgeable on the subject because eventually all else will be insufficient.  All of the technology and gadgets that I see is pretty cool, but the nervous cloud continues to hang over me.
I absolutely love the CSUSM/SEO Mission Statement! I actually didn’t choose the university due to it though. I chose it because it is a more practical location for me and where I live.  I love the “diversity…exemplified through reflective teaching, life-long learning” and the equality. California is such a culturally diverse state and I love that. I was influenced by my dad to become a teacher. I’ve always babysat, and I used to work at the YMCA childcare in high school when I lived in Virginia.  I want to teach children about life lessons, self-esteem, etc. I want them to love school! I don’t want them to be discouraged about learning because there is a whole world of knowledge and interest for them to explore. The decision to attend CSUSM without knowledge of the mission statement worked out perfectly. I want to make a difference in children’s lives because what they learn at a young age will be with them their whole lives.