NEWS Institute for Recruitment of Teachers

FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Expanded Recruitment Efforts Pay Off As the start of the IRT Summer Workshop Intern Program approaches, our staff is excited to welcome the future teacher-leaders, counselors, and professors—our 26th cohort—who will join the growing vanguard of IRT alumni already transforming the American educational experience for students in all quarters. Since I last wrote in January, we hosted our first-ever IRT Educators of Color networking event in Boston in partnership with Brookline (Mass.) High School, and we have been hard at work launching other new strategic initiatives.

We look forward to partnering with the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions and many of our amazing alumni to expand our recruitment reach to more than 100 college and university campuses. As a result of ongoing recruitment efforts, this summer’s cohort represents one of the most diverse and talented groups we’ve had the pleasure to support.

To top it off, we have seen an increase in financial contributions this year, which helps enormously in supporting all students admitted to the IRT Summer Workshop as well as those taking advantage of the excellent high-touch advising and mentorship in the IRT Associate Program. We also are delighted to report an increase in giving from IRT alumni! I hope you, too, will consider making a gift to support the IRT’s service to aspiring teachers and educators from across the nation.

Enjoy the good news and positive outcomes shared in the pages that follow.

Sincerely yours,

Asabe Poloma

A Phillips Academy Outreach Program

JUNE 2016

Phillips Academy’s Institute for

Recruitment of Teachers (IRT)

empowers talented underserved and

underrepresented future educators

to teach and serve as leaders

in American education because

diversity is essential to excellence.

HIGHLIGHTSBroadening IRT Impact page 2

New Faces page 4

Accolades & Milestones page 6

Alumni Profile page 7

Photos: Gil Talbot

Jalessa Anselm, kindergarten teacher and trustee at the Atrium School, and Dr. Christopher Vick, IRT ’03, coordinator of the African American and Latino Scholars Program at Brookline High School, were among 100 attendees at a networking event hosted by the IRT and Brookline High School this past spring.

As part of the IRT’s strategic plan initiative, the institute has showcased its thought leadership and broadened its national impact through participation at strategic conferences. The IRT staff has shared proposals and papers highlighting expertise in teacher education, innovative practice, and policy alongside fellow diversity educators at key national events this past year.

Leadership Alliance National Symposium—July 2015 (Stamford, CT)IRT Education Programs Specialist Leislie Godo-Solo, IRT ’91, participated in a panel, Funding Your Education, held during the Leadership Alliance National Symposium (LANS). Appearing with colleagues from Mercy College, the National Academy of Sciences, the University of North Colorado, and the University of Chicago, Godo-Solo emphasized managing finances and seeking alternate funding avenues to avoid debt. LANS is a key networking event for members of the Leadership Alliance; its focus is on developing leaders and role models in all career sectors.

The University of Akron 2016 Black Male Summit—April 2016 (Akron, OH) IRT Education Programs Specialist Leislie Godo-Solo, IRT ’91, was selected to participate in a breakout session about the IRT at the ninth annual Black Male Summit. The annual symposium is a national platform where students and educators from across the nation collaborate on best practices—innovative and proven strategies that empower African American males to succeed both academically and in their careers. This year’s keynote speaker was David Johns, IRT ’03, executive director of the White House initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans.

Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions Graduate Student Weekend— April 2016 (Philadelphia, PA)The IRT is a partner with the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), which shares IRT beliefs in providing access and equity for all students who wish to pursue an advanced degree and succeed in graduate school. IRT Recruitment and Admissions Programs Specialist Kate Slater was invited to share insights on the graduate school application process and academic preparedness during the annual Graduate Student Weekend, designed for undergraduate students from MSIs interested in pursuing graduate and professional degrees in education.

Steppingstone Foundation’s National Partnership for Educational Access (NPEA)—April 2016 (Baltimore, MD)The eighth annual NPEA conference addressed the importance of building purposeful community connections to bolster pathways to success in college, career, and beyond. IRT Executive Director Asabe Poloma and IRT Recruitment and Admissions Programs Specialist Kate Slater co-presented on the IRT’s mission and work and its interconnectivity with other education professionals and organizations’ successes and challenges.

Graduate Horizons Conferences—July 2016 (Ann Arbor, MI)IRT Education Programs Specialist Leislie Godo-Solo, IRT ’91, is slated to speak at one of the workshops hosted at the University of Michigan. The Graduate Horizons Conferences are multi-day workshops hosted by various universities throughout the country for Native American young people preparing for graduate school.

BROADENING IRT IMPACT ON A NATIONAL LEVEL

Advisory Board 2015–2016 Julia Lloyd Johannsen, PA ’96

chair Boston, MA

Asabe W. Poloma ex officio

Asna Afzal, PA ’99 New York, NY

Bret D. Asbury, PA ’96 Philadelphia, PA

Christopher S. Auguste, PA ’76 New York, NY

Andrew H. Chin, PA ’00 Weston, MA

Jonathan Cortez, IRT ’14 Providence, RI

Erick Espin, PA ’97 Bronx, NY

Tyrone Forman, PA ’88 Chicago, IL

Kimberly Formisano, PA ’86 Dedham, MA

Stephen H. Frank, PA ’81 Darien, CT

Andrew J. Guff, PA ’79 Greenwich, CT

Daniel James II, PA ’18 Marion, SC

Roger Kass, PA ’79 New York, NY

Victoria Kataoka, PA ’93 New York, NY

Brooks J. Klimley, PA ’75 New York, NY

Benjamin I. Lumpkin, PA ’91 Evanston, IL

Clarisa Merkatz, PA ’19 Farmington, CT

Jane Biondi Munna, PA ’96 New York, NY

Alarik Myrin III, PA ’88 Brooklyn, NY

Akhil Rajan, PA ’17 Mumbai, India

Chera Reid, IRT ’00 Troy, MI

Richard Shin, PA ’90 Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Mark W. Stevens, PA ’69 New York, NY

Gabriela Poma Traynor, PA ’88 Cambridge, MA

Alejandro Velasco, IRT ’99 New York, NY

Bruce S. Wilson, PA ’77 Washington, DC

Adam K. Wise, PA ’83 Chestnut Hill, MA

Marcy Kerr Yuknat, PA ’90 Dover, MA

Gonzalo S. Zeballos, IRT ’92 New York, NY

Stephen Zrike, IRT ’01 Andover, MA

IRT Education Programs Specialist Leislie Godo-Solo, IRT ’91, (far right) presents at the 20th anniversary LANS event in July.

IRT Recruitment and Admissions Programs Specialist Kate Slater addresses attendees at the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions Graduate Student Weekend in April.

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EDUCATORS OF COLOR NETWORKING EVENT

From Recruitment to Retention: Institutionalizing Diversity

On Thursday, March 3, the IRT—in partnership with Brookline (Mass.) High School—hosted an “Educators of Color Networking Event” in nearby Cambridge. Attended by 100 teachers and administrators of color from throughout New England, including IRT alumni, the event included small-group discussions about the educational impact of teacher diversity and institutional diversity initiatives, an opportunity for informal networking, and a career opportunities showcase. Small-group discussions were led by the following administrators:

• Dr. Christopher Vick, IRT ’03, Coordinator of the African American and Latino Scholars Program, Brookline High School

• Stephanie Davolos, Chief of Staff, Holyoke Public Schools

• Dr. Keith Lezama Jr., METCO Coordinator, Brookline High School

Announce good news. Share memories. Post opportunities. Please join these official IRT alumni social media groups.

Twitter: @IRTAndover LinkedIn: IRT Andover Facebook: IRT Andover

Throughout the fall, winter, and spring, the IRT’s three-person recruitment team traveled to 49 campuses and interviewed 159 students. In addition, Recruitment and Admissions Programs Specialist Kate Slater hosted eight webinars, which attracted more than 180 prospective students. The IRT also launched its official Alumni Recruiters Program this past fall. Twenty-nine IRT alumni were trained and went on to host 20 information sessions on their respective campuses. An additional 15 alumni stepped up to assist these alumni recruiters. In total, 125 prospective students attended alumni information sessions.

Our utilization of alumni recruiters combined with increased webinar participation yielded our highest number of applicants yet. The 312 completed applications received represent a 41 percent increase compared to 2015. Our Summer Workshop Intern Program and Associate Program, which enrolled a total of 120 students, begin in June.

“Being a brown man in front of a classroom is a political act. I think about that and the IRT every time I teach. Thank you so much for the toolset you gave me. I know for sure that I wouldn’t have done what I have without the IRT and your early support.”

—Daniel Peña, IRT ’09

“I have been reflecting on my experience with the IRT—how prepared I felt going into grad school last summer and how thankful I am to have been part of a brilliant cohort of scholars and educators. It is incredible to witness the places the IRT community is going within various campuses and schools. A simple thank you is clearly not enough, but thank you.”

—Grace Kim, IRT ’14

New Faces at the IRTTwo IRT alums, Nate Richardson and Brittany Zorn, joined the IRT team in May, bringing enthusiasm, plenty of first-hand experience, complementary talents, and a passionate dedication to the IRT’s mission.

Nate Richardson, IRT ’02, is the new associate director/manager of programs. He previously held the position of associate director of the Opportunity Program at Skidmore College. In addition,

he has experience in supporting the academic and developmental experiences of diverse student populations at various institutions, including SUNY Adirondack, Wake Forest University, Greensboro College, UNC Greensboro, and DePauw University. Nate holds an MFA degree in English and creative writing from UNC Greensboro and a BA degree in English with a minor in black studies from DePauw University.

Brittany Zorn, IRT ’12, arts and sciences program specialist, brings a unique perspective to this new role. She was an academic support coordinator with the Residence Life department at

the University of Maine and also has served as codirector of the Upward Bound Summer Bridge program, where she was responsible for managing and directing a seven-week academic enrichment program for 70-plus students. Brittany holds an MA degree in student development in higher education from the University of Maine and a BA degree in psychology and women’s studies from the University of New Hampshire.

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RECRUITMENT UPDATE

40%—African American

30%—Latino/a

15%—Asian

7%—White

4%—Native American 4%—Bi/multiracial

2016 IRT COHORT TAKES SHAPE

Stay Connected with the IRT!

How Our 2016 Cohort Members Self-Identify

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Announce good news. Share memories. Post opportunities. Please join these official IRT alumni social media groups.

Twitter: @IRTAndover LinkedIn: IRT Andover Facebook: IRT Andover

Congratulations to the IRT Class of 2015!

Beginning Graduate School in Fall 2016 Arizona State University* 1

Boston College 1

Boston University 2

Brown University 1

Columbia University 1

Columbia Teachers College 3

Cornell University 1

Duke University 1

Emory University 1

Harvard University 5

Michigan State University, Education 4

New York University 3

Northwestern University* 1

Pennsylvania State University* 1

Princeton University 4

Purdue University 1

Rice University 1

Rutgers University 1

Stanford University 2

Tufts University 3

University of Arizona 5

University of California, Berkeley 2

University of California, Los Angeles* 3

University of Chicago 2

University of Connecticut 1

University of Maryland, College Park 7

University of Michigan 6

University of North Carolina, Greensboro 2

University of Pennsylvania 5

University of Pittsburgh* 1

University of Southern California 2

University of South Carolina, Aiken* 1

University of Vermont 1

University of Virginia 1

Yale University 6

Deferring Until Fall 2017 Columbia Teachers College 1

Yale University 1

Total students from 2015 cohort matriculating to graduate school 84

12 students are not matriculating; 2 students’ plans are unknown.

*denotes nonconsortium institution

MATRICULATION UPDATE

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Emilie Boone, IRT ’05, recently defended her dissertation at Northwestern University and will earn a PhD degree in art history this summer. She is currently in a post-doc position at Williams College, where she is teaching classes while planning exhibitions in the museum and shaping museum programming with faculty and staff.

Desmond Delk, IRT ’08, has been selected to participate in the 2016 ELEVATE program offered by the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions. This faculty development program supports early-career faculty members working at MSIs. Desmond is an assistant professor of physical education and health at Langston University in Oklahoma.

Myles Durkee, IRT ’08, is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan in the Department of Psychology. He earned a PhD degree in educational psychology from the University of Virginia in 2013.

Brighid Dwyer, IRT ’01, was awarded the 2016 Pohlhaus-Stracciolini Award for Teaching Excellence at Villanova University.

Chris Eng, IRT ’09, will spend the next academic year as a postdoctoral research associate in the department of Asian American Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He will join the English department of Syracuse University as an assistant professor in fall 2017.

Beau Gaitors, IRT ’07, was awarded a fellowship from Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania.

Elizabeth Gil, IRT ’11, was awarded the King-Chavez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship Award from Michigan State University.

Natalie (Kane) Grubbs, IRT ’98, is a school counselor at The Children’s School in Atlanta.

David Johns, IRT ’03, is the executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans. He is pictured at a preschool in southeast D.C., where he is dancing and singing with the class during his tour to highlight the importance of early childhood education in closing the achievement gap for all children.

Eric Kim, IRT ’08, was named one of Forbes magazine’s 30 under 30! He is currently a post-doc fellow at Harvard University’s School of Public Health.

Diana Louis, IRT ’07, accepted a tenure-track position beginning this fall in the Department of Women’s Studies at the University of Michigan.

Monica Mercado, IRT ’03, accepted a tenure-track position in the Department of History at Colgate University.

Clarence Moore, IRT ’11, is ABD in the political science program at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. His dissertation focuses on the effect of violence on civilians’ political attitudes and behavior. Thanks to a Fulbright Fellowship, he is currently conducting fieldwork in Amman, Jordan, until August. In the fall, he will be moving to Berlin, Germany, to conduct further research.

Daniel Pena, IRT ’09, accepted a tenure-track assistant professorship position in the Latin American studies program at the University of Houston.

TreAndrea Russworm, IRT ’98, was awarded a tenure-track position in the English department at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

ACCOLADES & MILESTONES

ÍAt an information session hosted by the IRT at the University of Michigan, four generations of IRT alums were on hand to talk with prospective students about their experiences. Pictured from left: Devon Degraffenreed, IRT ’15, currently applying to master’s programs in higher education; Marie Angeles, IRT ’14, currently a master’s degree student in higher education at the University of Michigan; Brittanye Mackey, IRT ’14, pursuing a PhD degree in higher education at the University of New Hampshire; Jessica Canas, IRT ’12, a graduate intern at the Center for Engaged Academic Learning at the University of Michigan; and Zach Morales, IRT ’01, pursuing a PhD degree in American culture at the University of Michigan.

Í During her visit to the West Coast, IRT Executive Director Asabe Poloma had the chance to meet up with IRT alumni in the Bay Area. From left are Poloma; Veronica Garcia, IRT ’14; Elizabeth Flores, IRT ’12; and Eiko Tsukamoto, IRT ’11.

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ÍThe 76th annual College Language Association (CLA) Convention was held this past April in Houston. IRT alumni showcased their transformative work as researchers and scholars on a panel titled “IRT at CLA: Teaching and Dialoguing with the Africanist Text.” Pictured from left are Andrea Adomako, IRT ’14; Tristan Striker, IRT’ 08; Reginald Wilburn, IRT ’98; and Jessica Edwards, IRT ’06. (Not pictured, but also on the panel: Michael McGhee Jr., IRT ’05)

Please send news items to jbonasera@andover.edu.

“During those gueling, sleep-deprived, challenging summer days at Andover in 2011, I learned what good teaching looks like. Thank you for supporting my pedagogical growth.”

—Aaron Benavidez, IRT ’11 PhD candidate, Harvard University

Fernando Tormos, IRT ’09, was honored with the 2016 Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) scholar of the year at Purdue University. He is currently pursuing a PhD degree in political science and is expected to graduate in 2016. The AGEP award supports students who are commited to the principles of diversity in the STEM fields.

Alejandro Velasco, IRT ’99, is co-winner of the Fernando Coronil Book Award, given by the Section on Venezuelan Studies of the Latin American Studies Association, for his book Barrio Rising: Urban Popular Politics and the Making of Modern Venezuela.

A Journey of Self-Discovery This spring I concluded my first year teaching American studies at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. Prior to teaching at Skidmore, I spent a year as the inaugural H. Allen Brooks Traveling Fellow with the Society of Architectural Historians, traveling to Mexico, Guatemala, Ghana, Ethiopia, India, and Vietnam. Additionally, I taught in the architecture and historic preservation programs at the Tulane School of Architecture in New Orleans. This spring marks the five-year anniversary of defending my dissertation and completing my doctorate at George Washington University.

I count my experience as “five years out,” because that is what it feels like. Though each leg of the journey has been unique—Tulane, travel fellowship, then Skidmore—the past five years have been a constant ride of self-discovery, both personally and professionally. In that way, the years blend together. I have, in a sense, embarked on another journey, much different from the doctoral journey. As a junior faculty member and emerging scholar, this time is critical to navigating who I am as an academic.

Thinking back to my experiences with the IRT, I realize how much the guidance that I received while applying to doctoral programs was central to my understanding the inner workings of academia. The IRT pushed me to ask critical questions of myself and my field and to move beyond the surface response of “I really like architecture, I want to keep studying it.” Through my application process with the IRT, I was able to discern what aspects of design were most important to me, which departments were engaging in those topics, and which scholars were at the forefront of the issues that continue to have an impact on my research and teaching.

This level of discernment can be difficult when one has an interdisciplinary interest in a field that is limited depending on the department in which it is located. To be more specific, I wanted to continue my research in architectural history. This topic can be landed in architecture, art history, history, urban studies, American studies, or geography departments as well as public history or historic preservation programs. As such, one of the challenges becomes speaking the language of that department or program while staying true to your own research interests. The counseling that the IRT provided helped me navigate those types of issues. I leaned on my IRT experience when I decided to switch academic institutions while in pursuit of my doctoral degree.

To be sure, five years out from graduating with a doctorate I am still very much aware of the joys and challenges of working in an interdisciplinary field. When I looked to publish my first article, some of the same questions I asked of myself way back as an IRT associate reemerged: “Do I fit within the American studies discourse or art history? Is my work more history than architecture? Should I look for an African American historical journal or historic preservation publication?” I have found a happy midpoint in much of the work that I do. My first publication, “The Dunbar High School Dilemma: Architecture, Power, and African American Cultural Heritage,” was published in Buildings & Landscapes: Journal of the Vernacular Architecture Forum. That article was recognized by the Vernacular Architecture Forum with the Catherine W. Bishir Prize, awarded annually to the scholarly article from a juried North American publication that has made the most significant contribution to the study of vernacular architecture and cultural landscapes. Publishing the article and receiving the prize was a confirmation—I have found my people! Finding my people, however, was a journey that started in the fall of 2002 as an IRT associate, a process that asked me from the beginning who I was as a scholar, whose work had an impact on my intellectual development, and who I wanted to be—when I did not even know that for myself.

Amber N. Wiley, PhD, IRT ’02Assistant Professor, Department of American Studies, Skidmore College

ALUMNI PROFILE

Boston College

Boston University

Brandeis University

Brown University

City University of New York

Columbia University

Columbia University Teachers College

Cornell University

Duke University

Emory University

George Washington University

Harvard University

Michigan State University, College of Education

New York University

Princeton University

Purdue University

Rice University

Rutgers University

Southern Methodist University

Stanford University

Tufts University

University of Arizona

University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Davis

University of California, San Diego

University of Chicago

University of Connecticut

University of Maine

University of Maryland, College Park

University of Michigan

University of New Hampshire

University of North Carolina, Greensboro

University of Pennsylvania

University of Rhode Island

University of Rochester

University of Southern California

University of Vermont

University of Virginia

University of Wisconsin –Madison

Washington State University

Washington University in St. Louis

Yale University

Institute for Recruitment of Teachers Phillips Academy180 Main StreetAndover, Mass. 01810-4161

978-749-4116irt@andover.eduirt.andover.edu

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Please visit irt.andover.edu/donate to make your gift. For further information, contact Nicole Cherubini, director of development, at 978-749-4288 or ncherubini@andover.edu.

“I feel overwhelmed with gratitude for all the support and inspiration the IRT has provided as I work toward my goal of becoming a bilingual elementary school educator. I am growing, being challenged, learning, and loving each day in my master’s program. Thank you so much for the impact that you and everyone at the IRT have had on my journey—and on the journeys of so many other aspiring and transformative educators.”

—Gena Madory, IRT ’14

Each year the IRT hosts its popular Recruiters’ Weekend for all students. More than 60 graduate school deans and admissions representatives from IRT consortium institutions are eager to speak with potential candidates about their school’s graduate programs. Our 2016 Recruiters’ Weekend will be held Friday, July 15, and Saturday, July 16.

IRT CONSORTIUM MEMBERS