gather in good company

Andrew Chapin, a Concordia University Texas senior from Friendswood, Texas, has been selected to join Teach for America. Teach for America aims to end educational inequity and enlists the nation’s most promising future leaders to help children attain an excellent education. The national corps of recent college graduates who make up the program consist of varying academic majors and career interests, and commit to two years of teaching in urban and rural public schools.
“We are proud of Andrew for being accepted into the Teach for America Program—a prestigious and highly competitive program,” Jim McConnell, Dean, College of Education at Concordia University Texas, said. “He will gain a grounded understanding of how to solve educational inequity, as well as provide an example of strong Christian leadership to everyone he works with.”
Chapin, a double major in history and secondary education, with a social studies concentration, will join the program after graduation in May 2010. He will participate in a five-week training institute in Baltimore, Maryland before beginning his fall 2010 teaching assignment. During the training session, Chapin will teach in a district summer school program under the close supervision of veteran educators. In addition, he will participate in interactive courses and clinics to help deepen his teaching skills.
Applicants to the program are selected based upon leadership and achievement qualities, as evidenced by academic, professional, extracurricular or volunteer involvement. In addition, applicants must possess strong critical thinking skills, the ability to influence and motivate others, organizational ability, an understanding of and desire to work in pursuit of the vision of Teach for America, and respect for students and families in low-income communities.
“At Concordia, I was able to build strong Christian leadership skills,” Chapin said. “I am looking forward to my time with Teach for America and know that the leadership skills I developed at Concordia will help me in my effort to ensure that more students today are given the educational opportunities they deserve.”
Since the inception of Teach for America in 1990, nearly 24,000 individuals have participated in Teach for America, impacting the lives of approximately 3 million students. Currently, approximately 7,300 Teach for America corps members teach in 35 urban and rural areas.