UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State ranks 10th nationally among large colleges and universities in the recently released annual Teach for America rankings of schools contributing the most graduates to its teaching corps.
Founded in 1990, Teach For America works in partnership with communities to expand educational opportunities for children facing the challenges of poverty. The organization recruits and develops a diverse corps of top college graduates and professionals who make a two-year commitment to teach in low-income urban and rural public schools, and fosters the leadership development of their alumni who go on to work in education and other professional sectors.
For 2017, 34 Penn State alumni are part of a diverse network of 50,000 leaders who are working in high-needs schools nationwide, impacting 53 regions across 36 states and the District of Columbia, and representing more than 720 colleges and universities. Penn State has ranked among the top schools for the past 10 years.
Teach For America seeks seniors and graduates from all academic majors and backgrounds who have demonstrated achievement, perseverance, leadership, commitment to educational equity, and a deep respect for diverse experiences and backgrounds.
The organization also reported that this years’ corps is among the most diverse in its history. Nearly half of incoming corps members identify as people of color. Forty-three percent come from low-income backgrounds and one-in-three are the first in their family to graduate from college.