For Abigail “Abby” Groover, the path to special education has felt less like a choice and more like a calling. A senior at Temple University’s College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) preparing to graduate in May 2026, Groover chose Temple because she wanted to leave her small town in north central Pennsylvania and experience something different. 

That desire for a new environment helped shape her college experience, but her connection to special education came much earlier.

“I’ve kind of always just grown up in special education and been around it.” said Groover, whose mother is a special education teacher. This personal connection gave her an early understanding of what the work could mean. At Temple, that interest deepened through her work with the Leadership and Career Studies program, where she supported adults with disabilities on campus.

Her decision to also pursue an American Sign Language certificate came from the kind of classroom she hopes to create one day. Wanting to work in autistic support, Groover explained, “Sign language is another way you can communicate with students who are nonverbal or have limited speech. I wanted to be well-versed in it, so that I could use it with my students.”

One of the moments that most confirmed her career path came during her first field experience in an autistic support classroom in Philadelphia. Working with a five-year-old nonverbal student and watching her progress over the semester made everything click.

“It was just so interesting to see that connection, even with someone who can’t speak to you,” Groover said. “I thought to myself, this is what I want to do, and this is what I’m meant to do.”

Groover’s leadership extends beyond the classroom. As president of Temple University’s Kappa Delta Pi chapter, part of the international honor society in education, she helped build the organization’s presence.

“When I took over last year, we didn't really have a big presence on campus or in the CEHD,” she shared. “Not many people knew what the club was, or what members did. We were able to move our meetings in person, do all these events, volunteer in the community and work with schools. I'm very proud that I was able to create a little bit more of a platform in college.”   

That leadership role has not come without challenges. Balancing the honor society, student teaching, a resident assistant position and another job has tested her time management skills. Getting through it meant “relying on people that I trust and have good connections with and building a strong support system around me.”  

For Groover, teaching is rooted in empathy and communication. Working with a low-incidence population like children with autism means recognizing that “all behavior is communication.” It also means remembering that every child learns differently, and that “learning how they learn is one of the best ways you can support them,” she said. 

Looking ahead, Groover hopes to serve her students in and out of the classroom. "I want to be an advocate for my students and be that voice for them when they need support."