Harris teaches for America

With graduation less than three weeks away, many seniors anxiously contemplate the next step. Some will opt to pursue another degree, and others will join the workforce. For several others, teaching is becoming a strong possibility.

Teach for America trains corps members who are dedicated to breaking the cycle of educational inequity. Members sign up for a two-year commitment in one of 39 urban or rural regions nationwide, including Alabama, Detroit, Rhode Island, and San Antonio, Texas. This is a very good choice for graduates looking to aid in improving quality of public education in low-income communities. 

However, Prairie View A&M University boasts only one graduate for the 2011 Corps.

Whitney Harris, former editor-in-chief of The Panther Newspaper, graduated in December 2010 with a bachelor's in English. She will be fulfilling her two-year commitment in St. Louis teaching high school English, which she is also certified to teach in Texas. 

"It's kind of sad because many people who are picked are from Ivy League schools, and PV students could definitely compete with them," she said. "Minority students need to see minority teachers who can relate to the population that is being served."

Harris plans to continue working in education and hopes to develop a non-profit organization that benefits youth.

Another alumna, Charli Cooksey from the graduating class of 2009, will be finishing up her two-year commitment in St. Louis within the next few weeks.

Besides the satisfaction of closing the achievement gap, the program offers many more incentives. These include salary, health insurance, and money for relocation. 

Compensations that typical employers don't offer are retirement benefits, money to repay student loans, loan forbearance and paid interest for two years, and exclusive scholarships and benefits from graduate schools.

The program is not exclusively for education majors. While the majority of Teach for America alumni remain in education, others continue its mission through careers in policy, politics, law, medicine, business, and several more.

About 80 percent of the students reached through this program are qualified for free or reduced-price lunch. Additionally, over 90 percent are African-American or Latino.