Student Biographies
Current UTEP Interns: Cohort IV
Emmi Blum is a graduate of the College majoring in Spanish Literature. When she looks into the future, she sees herself as a math or Spanish teacher and possibly as a math teacher in a Spanish-speaking classroom. She was drawn to UTEP because of its well-rounded approach to teacher education. She is currently interning in a third grade classroom at Zapata Elementary School.
Ashley Garrison was a biology major in the college. Because she is being exposed to such an array of grades in the UTEP program, she is still unsure about which grade she will teach. However, she has leaned towards older grades in thepast, and still has an interest in older students. Before applying to UTEP, she was unsure as to which type of teaching program she would enter after graduation. However, after much research, she decided that UTEP was the best choice for her. This, she says, “is because of the amazing involvement of the directors in our lives. It has been made clear that they will continuously be with us and guide us as we become phenomenal educational leaders!” Ashley is interning in a second grade classroom at NKO with Keri Mendez.
Janet Granados grew up in Chicago and graduated from the University of Chicago with a BA in English Literature and aminor in Spanish Language and Literature. She was adamant about working with upper grade kids when she entered the program but has found, through the tutoring strand, that she enjoys work with her second grader the most. She has yet to decide what grade she’d like to teach. In her free time she loves to read anything she can get her hands on and volunteers with Rape Victim Advocates (RVA). Janet is interning in a kindergarten classroom at Carson Elementary School.
Briana Nichols completed her studies at U of C as anthropology major.She would love to teach 5th-8thgraders, and feels a strong connection with this age group. Her application to UTEP derived from a desire to leave the realm of theoretical academia and enter a practice through which she could reaffirm her strong ideological beliefs surrounding social justice. Her current tutoring students keep challenged on a weekly basis, allowing her to grow, learn,and laugh with them. Briana is a huge fan of classroom pets, especially ones with scales or shells. She is an intern in a 5th-6th grade classroom at Whittier Elementary.
Sara Rezvi decided to join UTEP because she is primarily interested in fostering a love for mathematics at an earlier age rather than later on. She believes confusion starts occurring during the middle school years, and that her efforts would be best concentrated there. Her favorite strand last year was definitely soul strand because, “it helped her examine her deepest personal motivations and beliefs about teaching and ourselves”. She also really likes pandas. She is currently interning at NKO in 4th grade with Toi Smith and Maura Burke.
John Saxton was an English Literature major. Teaching has appealed to him for several reasons. Most recently for the Ryan Gosling aesthetic put forth in Half Nelson of button-downshort-sleeve vintage-cuff shirts and ties (he’s deeply into ties) and historically for summers and therein the opportunity to cultivate his two other complementary career paths,journalism (The Nation is his Bible), and an ice cream shop (coming soon to 1620 E. 53rd, a lovely corner spot with lots of windows) but in seriousness because he like kids and kids like him and there is not a more worthwhile cause. He’d like to teach 6-8 grades. He is currently an intern at Carnegie elementary in a 6th grade classroom and coaches their flag football team.
Emily Sayer is thankful that the dreadfulness of the MCAT prep led her to scribble pictures and notes of herself teaching in the margins of her text booklets. She somehow managed to write all of her practice essay on something related to education, and that point, she knew that teaching would not simply supplement her “real” careers as a doctor. She loves children for their bluntness and honestly, their creativity and imagination, their obsessions and frustrations. According to the kindergartners she used to work with at Murray, she’s brown, it’s cool that she bikes, she is terrible at identifying lunch food, and there must be something very wrong with her because she does not have a husband. She’s thinking about teaching 4th grade. She is currently interning in a 2nd grade classroom at Zapata.
Catherine Schoenfeld majored in American History. She hopes to teach first grade. She has always wanted to teach in an urban setting and she chose UTEP because she thought that it would provide her with the most thorough preparation. Her favorite part of the program has been the fieldwork strand because she has gotten a chance to see several schools that are very different than the ones she attended. She is an intern in a kindergarten room at Bret Harte.
Jason Sitko majored in political science at U of C and focused on minority politics in the United States. Understanding the systemic racism that shapes public education in this country has given him invaluable insight into the many obstacles his students and he will face in preparing them to succeed in school. He’d like to teach 5-8 grade students because they are right on the cusp of adolescence and can be pulled in several different directions. He’d like not only to teach them to solve basic algebraic equations but also to be confident in the choices they make outside the classroom. He feels that UTEP has given him the opportunity to completely immerse himself in teaching; to think about, discuss, and practice teaching. The purposefulness of the work is a comfort in his life. He is an intern in a second grade classroom at NKO.
Lloyd Wafer entered UTEP as a graduate student. He completed his undergraduate studies at U of C with a degree in political science. While he’s not sure exactly what he wants to teach,he’s leaning more towards reading, in or around grade 4 or 5. There's a large spot in his heart for children's literature and it's very exciting to think about being able to teaching some of his favorite books. He enjoys basketball in all of its forms and likes to relax by playing video games, reading comic books, and watching movies. He is also working on a screenplay, which consumes a lot of his time and thoughts. He is currently interning at Barton School in a 6th grade classroom.
Bob Welch is an English major. He’s interested in starting out his teaching career at the 5-7th grade level. He was originally interested in UTEP because of its great acronym, which people confuse with the University of Texas-El Paso all the time. Consequently, he thinks we should call ourselves the Miners. Seriously, he really can't wait to get started teaching. He is an intern in a 2nd grade classroom at Barton.
Stacy Young studied music at the U of C. Upon completing UTEP, she looks forward to settlinginto a fantastic fourth grade classroom somewhere in her hometown of Chicago. Stacy thanks the amazing students at the Camp of Dreams for engendering a deep love of teaching in her,summer after wonderful summer, and Eric Davis of Educational Endeavors for giving her the chance to discover a dream. She is currently interning in a 3rd grade classroom at Barton.
Current UTEP Candidates: Cohort V
.jpg "cohort V")
Jordan Berry
Hello! My name is Jordan Berry. I am a graduate student, and just completed an A.M. in the Divinity School here at the University of Chicago. In college I studied philosophy and political science, and in between college and graduate school, I taught English conversation in South Korea for one year at an all girls public middle school. Aside from this, I have tutored and been a TA in a variety of settings; most recently I taught a creative writing course at STRIVE summer camp in July of this year. I was drawn to enter UTEP, among other teacher education programs, because it focuses on urban education, and from what I can tell, teaching, and not just teachers. I must say, not all teacher ed. programs give this impression! I do not want a professional degree for my sake, but rather to learn how to be the best instructor I can be for my students. What drew me from philosophy and religious studies to teaching is a much longer story. Right now, I think I would like to pursue the middle school endorsement and teach at that level, but I am open to teaching at the elementary level, especially the higher grades (I really liked working with 4th and 5th graders this summer). I can’t wait to get started in UTEP.
Shula Bien
My name is Shula Bien and I am an undergraduate majoring in Latin American Studies. I have worked as a Neighborhood Schools Program tutor for three years. I have worked at Jackie Robinson (6th grade), Price (6th grade), and Carnegie (7th/8th grade). I enjoyed tutoring but felt a bit isolated and desperately wanted to be better at it. I need to find a way to serve my community better through its schools and I came to UTEP for its hands-on, practical orientation and its focus on building a tight knit and supportive group. I hope to find a group of people who share my commitment to justice and positive work in problematic education systems. Besides NSP, I have had some international experiences working in the field of education in Ghana and Bolivia.
Samantha Coulter
I am currently a fourth year finishing my BA in Anthropology. I spent my first and second years in the College working as a tutor at Fiske Elementary School in both first and third grade classrooms. Also, for the past two summers I have worked with rising high school freshman at the Gary Comer Youth Center. I first learned about UTEP from my academic advisor and it seemed to be a good fit for me. It was during the introductory meetings and application process, however, that I realized just how impressive the curriculum and staff of the program were. I am uncertain about which grades I want to teach. I had previously thought I wanted to work with 4th or 5th grades, but after my experience this summer I might want to work with an older group.
Nate Cramer-Durning
I will be a graduate student in UTEP. In 2006 I graduated with a degree in Economics from Lafayette College. I was a Big Brother for three years as well as the volunteer coordinator for a tutoring and mentoring program for kids living in public housing while at Lafayette. For five summers I was a counselor at a day camp for kindergartners through third graders. I heard about UTEP through a Northwestern student pursuing Master’s in Education. She was impressed by how well prepared UTEP students were and how highly they spoke of the faculty. I would like to teach third or fourth grade in an urban school district.
Gina De La Torre
My name is Gina De La Torre. I will be a graduate student in the UTEP program. I earned my Bachelors degree at Purdue University in Chemical Engineering. In the last 10 years I have worked for chemical companies, oil refineries, and most recently a food company. I have been a tutor of elementary children and have assisted in a couple of science programs. During this time, I have been blessed with three children of my own (which in itself has been the most challenging and rewarding experience so far). I fell upon the UTEP program by chance and was impressed with everything the program has to offer – in particular it’s focus on Urban Education, the practical nature of the program, and the continued support after the program. At this time, I am interested in teaching 3rd or 4th grade and would also like to use my Spanish.
Alex DeWitt
I’m Alex DeWitt, a fourth year philosophy major with a penchant for studying both logic and the ethical, moral, and political ramifications of education. I came to the University of Chicago as a second year, transferring from the University of Michigan because of the unique people, institutions, and cultures specific to urban settings. I have been on the parade board of the State Street Thanksgiving Parade since 2005, and this involvement motivates my desire to start my career within Chicago. I have also been a middle school tutor since high school, lately working with special needs students at the U of C Laboratory Schools. Because of this experience, I hope to teach middle school, and, because of that penchant for logic, I envision myself as a math teacher. I also think I may have an interest in, someday, serving as a school administrator, such as a principal. UTEP is appealing on many levels—it requires academic courses on education while demanding deep, practical teaching work, it fits my desires to work with education and within a city, and it seems like it will introduce me to urban education with the support of dedicated and passionate leaders and classmates.
Abbi Eichhorn
I’m a 4th year undergraduate majoring in Latin American Studies. Through NSP, I worked at the Ancona School in two Spanish classrooms for the last 2.5-3 years. Besides working as a teaching assistant, I’ve been a camp counselor for CYC. I think I heard about UTEP from my advisor in my first year, and I really considered it after my second year. I’ve spoken with a few members of other cohorts and I’ve been impressed by how well they seem to be doing. Ideally, I’d like to teach middle school.
Claire Elderkin
I’m a 4th year public policy student. I have worked at the Center for Urban School Improvement for the past two years, where I help out with UTEP’s admin needs. This summer, I also worked at Youth Guidance, a social service agency that works in CPS schools. I am interested in teaching 3rd or 4th grade in a predominately African-American school.
Deena P. Heller
I am a 4th year sociology major, and my BA will likely be about teacher-education standards. I have directed plays and taught improv comedy to kids in summer camps and after school programs for a total of four years, and have tutored with Woodlawn After School Program, Chicago Youth Program, and NSP. Last summer, I was a science teacher for grades 1 – 5 in a summer school program in Newark, NJ. UTEP seemed like the perfect way to do something useful that I enjoy in a supportive, academic (but pointed towards practice and not only theory!) environment. I am interested in teaching middle school, but also see the benefits (in terms of efficacy) of going a bit younger to the 4th/5th grade.
Megan Kolasinski
My name is Megan (Meg) Kolasinski and I am a graduate student. I recently graduated from the University in June with a BA in Psychology. While at the University, I was an RA for two years in Stony Island. Also, this past summer, I worked as a Residential Teaching Assistant at Northwestern University for gifted high school students. During the summer, I was a TA for AP Psychology and Precalculus Honors with Trigonometry. When looking for a job during my fourth year, I decided to look into teaching jobs. One of my friends who is currently working as a teacher in New York told me that U of C has an teaching program. I looked into it and found UTEP. I really like that UTEP supports its teachers and gives them the proper training before placing their teachers in the classroom so that they feel comfortable. Right now, I am interested in teaching junior high, focusing on math, but would also consider working with the primary grades. Also, I love to play soccer, so I would love to set up a soccer program or coach at one of the schools.
Tony Letourneau
4th year undergrad (Philosophy & Visual Arts)
I have been teaching in the Lewiston School System in Lewiston, Maine for over two years now as a substitute teacher. I have also been tutoring with the Chicago Youth Program at the SSA for a year. Just recently I began working with Children’s Rendez-Vous as one of the teachers for the after school problem. UTEP’s implementation of the year long in class work and masters degree drew me to the program. I plan to teach lower elementary, most likely first or second grade, and UTEP’s K-9 certification meets that end. I thoroughly enjoy Chicago and I don’t have any reason to leave the city to teach somewhere else and the program’s focus here is another draw.
Ali Levy
My name is Ali Levy and I will be one of the graduate students in the program. I earned my B.A. in psychology at Washington University in St. Louis and then worked primarily in the social services. I have taught, however, and continue to teach religious school for first and ninth grade, respectively. UTEP is attractive because it combines social reform with pedagogy. I am open to working in a variety of contexts. Though, the idea of teaching in a Latino community excites me.
Joanna McConnell
I am a 4th year concentrating in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, and my B.A. paper will probably explore Western concepts of jihad. I have worked as a tutor with NSP, a camp counselor with Chicago Youth Centers, and a high school English instructor. I’m interested in addressing the unfair gap between privileged and underprivileged educations in America, and when I discovered UTEP it seemed tailored to give me the skills and understanding that I’ll need to do so. I see myself teaching middle school.
Sarah Orlowski
My name is Sarah Orlowski and will be a graduate student in the UTEP program. I completed my B.A. in Spanish and Women’s Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2006. During my undergrad years, I privately tutored young children in Spanish, volunteered for the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program, and am currently working part-time at a preschool. I became immediately interested in UTEP due to its unique focus on urban education, something in which I have a great interest, and have always wanted to be a part of. At this time, I see myself teaching K, 1, or 2, and would also like to use my Spanish in some way whether that be incorporating it into the lesson plans, or creating an after-school program.
Tracey Pendley
Hi everyone! My name is Tracey Nance Pendley and I am entering UTEP as a graduate student. I graduated from Furman University in Greenville, SC in 2006 with a B.A. in Sociology and Religion. After graduating, I left the South for Chicago where I started U of C’s doctoral program for Sociology. I learned a great deal last year in the Sociology program, but more so than anything, I discovered that sociological theory is simply not enough for me at this point in my life. I missed the inner-city children that I worked with during my four years at Furman, and realized it was with these kids that my heart belonged and my aspirations lay. This group of kids (ages 6-14) was part of a program called “The Clubhouse Gang.” I met with them twice a week (and lived in their neighborhood one summer) in order to build relationships and help the kids with their homework. After my freshman year, I became the director and soon developed a strong sense of the responsibilities, challenges, and rewards associated with teaching and working with urban children. Within a few days of making the definitive decision to leave the Sociology program this past spring in order to pursue teaching, I discovered UTEP via an online web search for teaching opportunities in Chicago- and the rest is (or soon will be) history. Ultimately, I see myself teaching middle school in Chicago or Atlanta. However, I want to be well equipped with the literacy and classroom management tools that I will most definitely need to work with this group, and so I may begin working with younger grades, such as third or fourth. I am so excited about the upcoming year and getting to know everyone, it is going to be great!
Nehezi Roberts
I am a graduate student. I’ve taught drama and public speaking on the elementary level and created a poetry club for an after-school program at a Catholic school in Evanston. Recently, I co-founded a non-profit early learning center in the Auburn Gresham area of Chicago. I am fairly sure that I want to teach middle school, but lately I’ve really considered the elementary level. I learned about UTEP while researching programs and it struck me as quite unique and comprehensive.
Louisa Shannon
I am a 4th year Public Policy student specializing in Urban Policy Studies. I have worked as an Assistant at the Center for Elementary Math and Science Education, the center that writes and develops Everyday Math materials, since I matriculated at the college. My parents’ and extended family’s experiences as CPS teachers opened my eyes to the potentially daunting challenges and invaluable rewards of being an urban educator. I was drawn to UTEP’s commitment to prepare educators for the unique challenges of urban teaching through academic coursework, as well as clinical practice. Although I am leaning towards teaching in the middle grades in a Southside Chicago Community, I am comfortable working with children in all elementary grades.
Amelia Valdez
My name is Amelia Valdez. I’m a graduate of the University of Chicago with a degree in philosophy. I was the co-director of operations for the Teen Connections Center in Pilsen in 2004 and the office manager at STRIVE Tutoring in 2005. I taught musical theater at the Merit School of Music in 2006 and this summer I was lucky enough to teacher theater to over 400 children with Jewish Community Centers’ Day Camp. I hope to teach 1st grade: I love the cute and smalls. Teaching children to read would be such a privilege and joy. I live in Bridgeport, grew up in Texas and am soon to be the proud owner of a golden retriever puppy.
Aaron Webman
I am a 4th year Public Policy major, specializing in Education Policy. I’ve tutored in a couple of local programs in the past (The Woodlawn After School Kids Program and Chicago Youth Programs). After 1st year I worked in education programming at a community development corporation in Newark, NJ and took over a summer school class there when a teacher quit. For the past 8 months (until two weeks ago) I worked at USI developing a college access program, among other things. I was originally introduced to UTEP by former boss Linda Wing, but made the decision to apply after a few months of witnessing the care, attention and hard work the UTEP faculty put into the program. I see myself teaching in the middle grades.
Alexa Webster-Clark
My name is Alexa Webster-Clark, and I am a 4th year psychology major, interested primarily in developmental and cognitive psychology. At the University I have worked with NSP, Absolute Value Math Camp, and the Woodlawn After School Program. I also have worked at a variety of child-care and tutoring jobs. I heard about UTEP from NSP; I had thought about teaching before and was very excited about the existence of a program where I could become certified to teach, get a lot of practical experience and feedback, and be learning everything at a level that is intellectually challenging. I hope to teach early elementary–1st, 2nd, or possibly 3rd grade–because I am really interested in how kids learn reading and basic math.