For Uriel Campos-Padilla, teaching is about the little moments.

While student teaching at Woodbury Elementary, Campos-Padilla worked with a small group of third-grade students on a lesson about identity. One student was from Thailand, reminding him of friends from his hometown. Recalling a few phrases he'd picked up, he greeted her in her native language.

"Mr. Campos, how do you know my language?" she asked, wide-eyed and smiling.

Later that afternoon, the student's classroom teacher pulled him aside.

"I just want you to know that you made her day," she said. "She came back to class so happy."

For Campos-Padilla, it was a reminder of why he chose teaching.

"Something so small to you can mean the world to some of these kids," he says.

Those moments of connection—and the hands-on experiences he gained through the University of Iowa College of Education—confirmed that he had found the career he was meant to pursue.

Growing up in Marshalltown, Iowa, Campos-Padilla was surrounded by educators. Both of his parents are teachers, and their dedication to helping students shaped the way he viewed the profession from an early age. He always knew he wanted to teach, but it wasn't until he entered the College of Education and began working directly with students that he discovered elementary education was where he belonged.

"I loved seeing the growth," he says. "Being able to take a student from point A to point B in learning, but at the same time building a relationship with them—it's super rewarding."

Throughout his time at Iowa, classroom experiences helped him build confidence as an educator while learning how meaningful even the smallest interactions can be. Those lessons extended beyond instruction and into building relationships, creating welcoming classrooms, and helping every student feel seen.

At graduation in May, Campos-Padilla earned his Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, along with a K–12 English as a Second Language endorsement and a certificate from the Baker Teacher Leader Center. He was one of 169 undergraduates who completed the Teacher Education Program in May.

Just as importantly, he graduated with a job waiting for him back home.

This fall, Campos-Padilla returned to Marshalltown as a first-grade teacher at Rogers Elementary School, an opportunity that brings him back to the community that first inspired him to teach.

He describes Marshalltown as diverse and close-knit, a place where people "always have each other's backs." Now, he's looking forward to giving back to the community that helped shape him.

"I'm just excited to be a teacher," he says.

Campos-Padilla graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, a K–12 English as a Second Language endorsement, and a certificate from the Baker Teacher Leader Center in May. He was one of 169 undergraduates who completed the Teacher Education Program.

Faculty also selected him as the College of Education's 2026 undergraduate student commencement speaker, recognizing the leadership and compassion he demonstrated throughout his time at Iowa.

In his commencement address, he encouraged graduates to remember the lasting impact of small acts of kindness.

"With one kind action, or one piece of encouragement, we really do have the ability to change the trajectory of a young person's life."

It's a lesson he first experienced as a University of Iowa student teacher and one he's carrying with him as he welcomes his own students into a first-grade classroom in Marshalltown.

Because, as Campos-Padilla has learned, something small can mean the world.