Harvard contributes most grads to 2011 Teach for America

The University is the top contributor among medium-sized schools.

Sixty-six Harvard graduates will join the ranks of Teach for America this fall, making the University the number-one contributor among medium-sized schools for the second time in four years. Recruiting top talent from recent college graduates and professionals who have demonstrated outstanding achievement, perseverance, and leadership, Teach for America requires participants to commit to teach for two years in urban and rural public schools, and become lifelong leaders in expanding educational opportunities. During the 20-year history of the national education corps, more than 440 Harvard alumni have taught as corps members. 

In her 2010 Commencement speech, President Drew Faust spoke of the importance of public service, highlighting the Teach for America program and quoting the words of Harvard graduate and TFA corps member A. J. Garcia: “It is possibly the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life, but by far the most rewarding,” Garcia wrote. “At the end of every day, I might leave work mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted, but it is the best type of exhaustion and…well worth the impact of closing the achievement gap one child at a time.”

Related topics

You might also like

Harvard’s New Playbook for Teaching with AI

Faculty across Harvard are rethinking assignments to integrate AI. 

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences Zeroes in on the Classroom Experience

Class schedules and academics are at the top of the agenda for Harvard faculty.

A Changed Harvard Faces the Future

After a tense summer—and with no Trump settlement in sight—the University continues to adapt. 

Most popular

What Trump Means for John Roberts's Legacy

Executive power is on the docket at the Supreme Court.

Three Harvardians win MacArthur Fellowships

A mathematician, a political scientist, and an astrophysicist are honored with “genius” grants for their work.

Harvard’s Endowment, Donations Rise—but the University Runs a Deficit

The annual financial report signals severe challenges to come.

Explore More From Current Issue

A diverse group of adults and children holding hands, standing on varying levels against a light blue background.

Why America’s Strategy For Reducing Racial Inequality Failed

Harvard professor Christina Cross debunks the myth of the two-parent Black family.

Map showing Uralic populations in Eurasia, highlighting regional distribution and historical sites.

The Origins of Europe’s Most Mysterious Languages

A small group of Siberian hunter-gatherers changed the way millions of Europeans speak today.

A vibrant composition of flowers, a bird, and butterflies with a distant manor under a moody sky.

Rachel Ruysch’s Lush (Still) Life

Now on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, a Dutch painter’s art proved a treasure trove for scientists.