Q & A

What led you to apply to Teach For America?

Before I applied, I viewed TFA as a meaningful contribution to solving a fundamental failure in our country—the opportunity gap in education. I was also struck by how formative the experiences of TFA alumni were. They described their work as purposeful and effective in developing skills and emotional intelligence.

How have you applied the skills you developed in the corps to your current work?

I got countless opportunities in the classroom to develop effective professional and personal relationships with teachers and students in a high-stress environment. Also, being a teacher requires skillful data interpretation, relationship management, crisis management, detailed planning, and a number of other abilities that I could carry into banking.

What surprised you the most about your experience?

I was surprised by how much opportunity corps members are afforded. There is so much work to be done in education reform that hesitation around titles or age becomes less relevant. This can give corps members a differentiated background to bring into future roles. Few other fields offer that advancement so quickly.