As an engineering major, you can use your training to make a significant difference by joining Teach For America. Your engineering expertise uniquely positions you to make a real impact on students' understanding of mathematics and science. All too often, students in low-income communities do not have the opportunity to engage in advanced mathematics and science courses because their schools lack teachers with backgrounds in these fields. By committing two years to teach in an urban or rural community, you will not only inspire future engineers by sharing your knowledge, but also build skills that will serve you well in your subsequent career. Every day in the classroom you will gain experience in data-driven problem solving, instructional innovation, and goal-oriented management. Alumni in engineering careers state that the intense challenges and rewards of their time in the corps led to tremendous personal growth. Armed with a deep understanding of our nation's disparities and with valuable insight about the changes that will make the biggest difference, they continue to make a social impact through their work in engineering and volunteer commitments.
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Alumnus perspective | |
Graduate school and Employer partnerships |
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I graduated from an excellent public school near Oakland, California. During college, I spent my summers coaching a swim team as part of Oakland's intra-city youth swim league. As I neared graduation, I was torn about my post-graduate plans. Although most people around me were headed towards graduate school in engineering, I was also considering Teach For America because of the enjoyment I had working with the kids on my swim team. One of my friends was in her first year as a Teach For America corps member, and though her experiences sounded incredibly challenging, the idea of a national teaching movement and the urgency surrounding Teach For America really excited me. I decided to defer my graduate school plans and join Teach For America.
I struggled with classroom management my first couple of weeks of teaching, but after talking with fellow corps members and learning from the veteran teachers at my school, I set up a system: students earned 'math bucks' for things like being on time, and there was a 'math market' where they could buy small items like stickers, pencils, and candy. They responded to this system, and we could then move on to building their mathematics skills. Like any engineer, I'm very comfortable with mathematics, and I worked hard to translate that attitude to my students. The most important thing I gained from my time in the corps was a sense of perspective. At the end of the day, what mattered most was that my students had a positive experience in the classroom, and were getting better at mathematics.
I found that the organizational skills I learned in Teach For America helped me immeasurably in graduate school. My experience with Teach For America has stayed with me, and I continue to be involved with the organization. If I hadn't joined the corps, I would not have come to understand how crucial access to education is, and how much support our public schools need to provide education to all children. No matter what career trajectory I take, Teach For America helped me understand my individual capacity to change the society we live in. The experience of Teach For America made me want to use my engineering skills to tangibly improve people's lives. In my current job, I conduct research into medical devices and biomaterials for orthopedics and cardiovascular applications, which will hopefully help people live longer, more fulfilling lives.
I have made lifelong friends among the corps members, students, and teachers with whom I had the opportunity to work. I'll always be involved in education in some way. I volunteer as a high-school mentor and coordinate a program at work where students visit our laboratory to see the real-world applications of math and science. After my teaching experience, I know any chance our country has of closing the achievement gap will rest on whether we are individually willing to commit our own time and energy to our schools and communities.
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I was always aware of the achievement gap because of my father's work. He founded the Center for the Advancement of Hispanics in Science and Engineering Education, which develops programs to channel Latino students into science and engineering careers. As a teenager from El Salvador growing up in San Francisco, my father was statistically unlikely to become an engineer and unlikely to start an organization to help others enter the pipeline.
When I first considered joining Teach For America, my father tried to persuade me not to apply, much to my surprise. He was concerned that teaching wouldn't allow me to represent the Latino community in the engineering sector. He changed his mind when he saw the difference I was making as a first-year corps member, teaching middle school math in a predominantly Latino classroom. He also saw me grow as a person because of the persistence and commitment that teaching requires. My father understood that the experience strengthened my connection to the Latino community.
You're probably aware that we have a shortage of math and science teachers, but there's also a shortage of students who can picture real world applications of math and engineering. As a corps member and engineer, I worked to bridge those gaps. Having the opportunity to share my perspective with my students made a tremendous impact-I had sixth graders who wanted to be mechanical or civil engineers because they could envision how math is used in those professions.
As I led my students to achieve their goals, I was gaining hands-on experience in strategic planning, an essential skill that builds on my problem solving background. After I earned my M.S. in industrial engineering, I wanted to continue to use my capabilities in a meaningful way. In my current position at Kaiser Permanente, I assess our health care systems and reengineer operations to develop interventions that can yield the greatest health improvements for our members with diabetes.
Disproportionately, Latinos have a greater risk of developing diabetes; and over half born after the year 2000 will develop the disease. Our solutions must be designed, tested, refined, and implemented much like a new math curriculum. All the while, I must keep this population in mind-but that's the easy part-I am always thinking about my students and their families.
I have a deeper connection to my work as a result of my Teach For America experience-I'm certain that I wouldn't bring the same level of enthusiasm to my job without the experience. I've learned what it means to feel passionate about my work, I know when it's missing, and I also know how to regain it. My experience with Teach For America confirmed how fulfilling it feels to work towards positive social change.
Learn more about alumni effecting fundamental change
GE is honored to partner with Teach For America. By working to enlist more qualified mathematics and science college graduates to enter the classroom, Teach For America provides quality education to those who need it most, helping to build a strong and diverse workforce and society. We value the leadership skills and experience that distinguish Teach For America corps members and look forward to having them consider possible careers at GE.
- Jeff Immelt
CEO, GE
A growing number of engineering graduate schools and corporations in a wide variety of fields partner with Teach For America to offer special benefits for corps members and alumni. They know that alumni have gone through a highly selective process and have engaged in a challenging professional experience. Below is a list of partnerships available for engineering, math, and science schools. Click here to search our complete database. For employer partnerships, click here.
Employer partnerships
Google
JPMorgan
Our alumni
Career services
Corps and Alumni
