SE Valley Times

Arizona State University (ASU) has achieved the top ranking for new members in the Teach for America program in 2024, tying with the University of Texas at Austin and surpassing institutions such as UCLA, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Michigan.

President Michael Crow expressed enthusiasm about ASU's involvement with Teach for America. "Teach for America is a critical initiative to get great young teachers into some of our most important schools around the country," Crow stated. He emphasized that ASU graduates are making significant contributions to education by working in underserved areas.

Teach For America places recent graduates in K–12 classrooms across rural and urban America for at least two years. These educators aim to make substantial impacts on their students while gaining insights into the educational system. The organization also supports them in pursuing future careers within or outside education.

This year, ASU has contributed 30 new members to Teach for America's corps, part of a larger group of 2,300 new teachers nationwide. Krishnaa Pradhan, managing director of recruitment at Teach for America, highlighted ASU's role: "With 30 Sun Devils as new corps members, ASU has played a pivotal role in expanding our educator workforce." She noted that these individuals are positively impacting students' lives across the country.

Pradhan also remarked on the diversity within this year's cohort: "This year’s corps is one of the most diverse in our history, with 60% identifying as people of color, 64% coming from low-income backgrounds and 43% being the first in their families to graduate from college."

Sheilah Utley, an ASU graduate student studying secondary education at Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, shared her positive experience with Teach for America. "I've learned a lot of patience and compassion... Making [students] comfortable with being themselves... has been my forefront," she said.

Matthew Simon, associate vice president for state and federal relations at ASU and a former participant in Teach for America, spoke about the lasting impact both organizations have had on his life. "Both ASU and Teach for America are focused on developing the next generation of leaders who will have a measurable impact in our country," Simon explained.

ASU continues to align itself with Teach for America's mission by fostering leadership skills among its graduates to serve communities nationwide.