As an engineering major, you can use your knowledge and skills to make a significant difference by joining Teach For America. Through Teach For America, science and mathematics majors can help expand and diversify the pipeline of future engineers by providing more students with the skills they need to be successful. 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 inspire future engineers by sharing your knowledge and building skills that will serve you well in your career. Alumni in engineering careers say that the intense challenges and rewards they experienced as corps members led to tremendous personal and professional growth. Armed with firsthand experience and valuable insight on the changes needed to end our nation’s disparities in educational opportunity, our alumni in the engineering field continue to make an impact through their work and volunteer commitments.
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Alumnus perspective | |
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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 youth swim league. As I neared graduation, I was torn about my plans. Although most people around me were headed to graduate school in engineering, I was also considering Teach For America because I had greatly enjoyed 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 corps 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 teaching, but after talking with fellow corps members and learning from the veteran teachers at my school, I set up a system: The 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 then moved 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. 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. Regardless of my long-term career trajectory, Teach For America also 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. Prior to beginning to write Mechanics of Biomaterials, I worked as a research scientist at Cambridge Polymer Group, Inc., where I conducted research into medical devices and biomaterials for orthopedics and cardiovascular applications. I hope the advances we see in these areas will 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 coordinated a program at Cambridge Polymer Group where students visited our laboratory to see the real-world applications of mathematics and science. After my teaching experience, I know that any chance our country has of closing the achievement gap will rest on whether we are each 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.
- Jeffrey R. Immelt
Chief Executive Officer, GE
A growing number of engineering graduate programs partner with Teach For America to offer special benefits for corps members and alumni. These partners recognize that alumni have gone through a highly selective process and have engaged in a challenging professional experience. Click here to search our complete database.
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