John White, University alumnus and Louisiana State superintendent of education, led a discussion Monday night on his experience at Teach for America.
Teach for America is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to “enlist, develop and mobilize as many as possible of our nation’s most promising future leaders” by recruiting diverse individuals to serve as teachers in low-income communities, according to the organization’s website.
He began the talk recounting his time at the University as an English major and how research for his senior thesis on Faulkner led him to Teach for America.
White also spoke of his time teaching in New Jersey, taking on managerial roles in cities around the country and eventually ending up in his current position.
“Two institutions have changed my life: the University of Virginia and Teach for America,” White said. “I think both have helped me understand my role in the world and how I can help my fellow citizens.”
White then answered questions from audience members on topics such as what he enjoyed about teaching, solutions to small issues that individuals can make, using empathy for students to fuel motivation and technology in the classroom.
White did not only promote Teach for America at the event, Emma McCallie, fourth-year College student and campus ambassador for Teach for America, said, noting the event was not only about convincing people to apply to the organization.
“I think it was geared toward anyone who has an interest or curiosity about education policy very broadly,” McCallie said. “It was very much more a conversation about the landscape of education policy.”
Adam Willis, a fourth-year College student, said he was already interested in applying to Teach for America before Monday’s event.
“I’m really interested in Louisiana because I have family there, so hearing [White] talk about the Louisiana school system is pretty fascinating,” Willis said. “He’s obviously a very impressive person.”
The event had been in the works since early summer, Lina Monsalve, University Teach for America manager and recruiter, said.
“Overall my goal was for this to be a place where students could be inspired,” Monsalve said. “[White] shows what can be done when you have the classroom experience, the impact and the grit to really go out there and make a change.”
The University has had more than 500 alumni go on to become corps members for Teach for America since 1991.
“U.Va. is a special place for a lot of reasons but in a large respect because there’s such an ethic of service among students here,” White said. “I believe that Teach for America and other opportunities to change our country for the better are something that U.Va. students should at least take a look at.”
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