Holy Cross Is Top Contributor of Teach For America for 8th Year in a Row

The College of the Holy Cross was named among the top contributors to Teach for America for the eighth year in a row. Teach for America is a nonprofit organization that places committee leaders in high-needs classrooms to make an immediate, tangible impact in the lives of students. Corps members gain first-hand experience teaching in low-income communities as they move to end educational inequity.

With nine alumni joining Teach for America’s 2016 teaching corps, Holy Cross was ranked the fourth highest contributor among small colleges and universities. These alumni will join a network of 50,000 leaders from more than 740 institutions. They will be teaching in 53 regions across 36 states and the District of Columbia.

Since Teach for America was founded in 1990, more than 170 Holy Cross students have joined the highly-selective organization.

Michelle Sterk Barrett, director of the community-based learning office, says the progression for students to participate in post-graduation service opportunities is natural.

“Our mission statement speaks of the Jesuit commitment to the service of faith and promotion of justice as well as the responsibility to use our talents on behalf of the poor and powerless among us,” she said. “In choosing to do a post-graduate year of service, students are seeking to put the ideals of our mission into action.”