Mitte Honors senior Rachel Brody lands job with Teach for America

By Maria R. Gonzalez
University News Service
May 2, 2007

Texas State University-San Marcos Mitte Honors Program student Rachel Brody will travel to Washington D.C. next fall to pursue her master’s degree in education at George Mason University and participate in the Teach for America program.

The Teach for America program provides outstanding seniors from diverse fields the opportunity to teach at a public school for two years and gain skills in the field of education.  The program’s mission is to help improve the nation’s pressing problems in the education system, such as disparities in low-income public schools.  After a rigorous application process, the selected students receive intensive education training during the summer.

“They assign you to either secondary education, English, physics or you can do elementary, pre-K or special education,” Brody said. “I got assigned to special education because I have a lot of experience working with kids with disabilities.”

After the training session during the summer, Brody will teach and pursue her master’s degree in education at George Mason University.  The Texas State senior said the Mitte Honors program became a beneficial tool that sparked her interest in the education system.

“I was able to take classes that were interdisciplinary, not just focused on one thing but that really brought everything together,” she said. “The interdisciplinary nature of our courses made me take a closer look at our political structure and education system. It made me really want to change it.”

Brody will receive her bachelor of arts degree in communication studies with a minor in psychology in May.  The Houston native has served in organizations such as the Global Village Habitat for Humanity in Romania, Camping Unlimited and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central and South Texas where she currently serves as a Wish-Granting volunteer.  Brody will also receive the Lyndon B. Johnson Outstanding Senior Award in May.