Eight graduates in Elon University’s Class of 2016 have accepted positions with Teach for America and will begin their placements this fall.
Written by: Lindsey Tipps ’16
Teach for America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving educational opportunities for children living in poverty, recruits individuals from all over the country to teach in public schools serving low-income communities.
Before admission to the program, applicants are required to complete a series of interviews, including the preparation and presentation of a five-minute teaching lesson. Candidates are admitted and placed in one of Teach for America’s 52 regions across the country.
Teach for America participants come from a variety of academic backgrounds, some majoring in psychology, political science and education, among others.
Matthew Crehan, a political science major who will begin his service with Teach for America this fall, is passionate about education policy. “I believe that policy makers and those who influence policy need to include individuals who have experience the effect of the policies first hand,” he said. “I have always been interested in helping those in need and giving others the same opportunities that I was lucky enough to have.”
The following students from the Class of 2016 have committed to a two-year position teaching in regions across the country:
Matthew Crehan
Region: Charlotte
Primary subject: Middle school math
Morgan Fleming
Region: Charlotte
Primary subject: Science
Maria Haymond
Region: Atlanta
Primary subject: Spanish
Conor Janda
Region: Chicago
Primary subject: English
Amy Livingston
Region: Charlotte
Primary subject: Elementary
Devin Mehra
Region: Charlotte
Primary subject: Math
Hannah Orth
Region: Charlotte
Primary subject: Middle school English
Najah Short
Region: Washington, D.C.
Primary subject: Early childhood
Corp members serve as advocates for better education and mentors to the students they encounter in their classrooms, a sentiment that attracts many applicants to the program.
“I enjoy connecting with people on a personal level,” said Devin Mehra, a media analytics major from Greenwich, CT. “I believe being a teacher is a great opportunity to connect with many students.”
Maria Haymond shares a similar enthusiasm for the program. “I am excited about building relationships with students in my classroom, inspiring them to become motivated to learn and recognize how far an education can take them.”