Progress Magazine Annual Report 2011 - Eller College of ...

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recent grads give back through
teach for america
By Kelsey Wagner, Eller Marketing ’12
Neha Gupta Photo
Brian McGill Photo
Andrew Collins Photo
While the majority of recent
graduates compete for
full-time jobs, a growing
number are competing for the
chance to make a difference
in the lives of children
through Teach for America.
The program’s application
process is intense and
rigorous. In 2010, 46,000
individuals applied for
positions in the corps, but
just 4,500 were accepted.
Corps members are deployed
to one of 39 urban and rural
regions across the country.
They then begin a five-week
intensive teacher-training
program prior to the first day
of class, where they will
spend the next two years.
Neha Gupta (Eller Management
’11) will be entering the
classroom for the first time
this fall. “My parents moved
to this country and started
from scratch in order to give
me the gift of education,”
she said. “I feel a sense of
obligation to give back to
this country by giving all kids
the same opportunity. Plus, I
believe the experience will
further my long-term career
goals.” Gupta, who one day
hopes to work in talent and
organizational consulting,
will be based in Phoenix.
Brian McGill (Eller Business
Economics ’11) will begin his
time as a Teach for America
corps member in Houston
this fall. “I'm looking forward
to working with students
who need help in school and
restoring their sense of hope
that they can be successful,”
he said. “Having the
opportunity and ability to
influence the lives of a group
of students is exciting.
After learning more about
education inequity in
America, I wanted to join
Teach for America to help
close the education gap.”
“I always had a desire to
teach, but I never considered
it for a career,” said Andrew
Collins (Eller Business
Economics and Entrepreneurship
’05). “By the end of my
senior year I was looking for
something different than
the typical launch into the
corporate world. I saw
Teach for America as an
opportunity to spend a few
years of my life directly
affecting the lives of others,
especially in an area so
crucial to their future
success — education.”
After completing his time
as a corps member, Collins
joined the Arizona Charter
Schools Association as
director of school development.
“What I love about
this position is that I am
able to find a marriage
between my experience
as an entrepreneurship
student at Eller and my
experience in the classroom
to help educational
entrepreneurs start a
sustainable venture that
will serve students well,”
he said.
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