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Rockefeller Brothers Fund Teaching Fellowship
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass., August 12, 2008 -- Williams College student Rousseau Mieze '10 has been awarded a 2008 Fellowship for Aspiring Teachers of Color from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.
He joins 24 other full-time college juniors in the 14th cohort of Fellows, who plan to teach for at least three years in a public elementary or secondary school following their graduation.
"The 2008 fellows bring diverse experiences -- both personally and academically -- that will be assets one day in the classroom," said Miriam Aneses, director of Fellowships for Aspiring Teachers of Color.
Aided by mentors, fellows complete a teaching-related summer project between their junior and senior years. After graduating from college, they enroll in master's programs in teaching and are expected to earn their teaching certification.
The Fellows each receive up to $22,100 over a five-year period for the summer project, loan repayment, and graduate school.
Mieze, a history major with an Africana studies concentration, grew up in the Boston area and attended the Academy of the Pacific Rim, a Boston charter school.
His childhood ambitions ranged from the NBA to being a doctor to riding on the back of garbage trucks, he laughs. But now, he's focused on a career in education. "I believe that public schools should not only give kids an exceptional education, but also equip them with the necessary knowledge and skill to be great citizens and people," he said.
After working for a master's degree, he said, "I would like to work in urban schools with an eye toward reforming them and improving the quality of education for all students."
This summer, he is working at Rochester Prep, a school in Rochester, N.Y., working in a number of areas including a reading and writing class and the discipline office. "I was able to talk with teachers and learn about their methods of instruction," he said. He is also conducting data analysis to evaluate areas of concern for the school, and taking a course on documentary photography and history at the University of Massachusetts in Boston.
At Williams College, Mieze is a member on the school step team and served as co-chair of the Black Student Union this past year and is a member of the Minority Coalition. He was part of Stand With Us, a student group that called for a respectful and affirming community on campus last spring. In addition, he acts and plays rugby.
Previous Rockefeller Brothers Teaching Fund Fellowship awardees from Williams College include Jodi Gajadar '08, a history and psychology major from Otego, N.Y, and Marlena Elmore '07, an American studies major from Milton, Mass.
The Rockefeller Brothers Fund was founded in 1940 and seeks to "promote social change that contributes to a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world."
END
Founded in 1793, Williams College is the second oldest institution of higher learning in Massachusetts. The college's 2,000 students are taught by a faculty noted for the quality of their teaching and research, and the achievement of academic goals includes active participation of students with faculty in their research. Students' educational experience is enriched by the residential campus environment in Williamstown, Mass., which provides a host of opportunities for interaction with one another and with faculty beyond the classroom. Admission decisions are made regardless of a student's financial ability, and the college provides grants and other assistance to meet the demonstrated needs of all who are admitted.
To visit the college on the Internet www.williams.edu
News: Yue-Yi
He joins 24 other full-time college juniors in the 14th cohort of Fellows, who plan to teach for at least three years in a public elementary or secondary school following their graduation.
"The 2008 fellows bring diverse experiences -- both personally and academically -- that will be assets one day in the classroom," said Miriam Aneses, director of Fellowships for Aspiring Teachers of Color.
Aided by mentors, fellows complete a teaching-related summer project between their junior and senior years. After graduating from college, they enroll in master's programs in teaching and are expected to earn their teaching certification.
The Fellows each receive up to $22,100 over a five-year period for the summer project, loan repayment, and graduate school.
Mieze, a history major with an Africana studies concentration, grew up in the Boston area and attended the Academy of the Pacific Rim, a Boston charter school.
His childhood ambitions ranged from the NBA to being a doctor to riding on the back of garbage trucks, he laughs. But now, he's focused on a career in education. "I believe that public schools should not only give kids an exceptional education, but also equip them with the necessary knowledge and skill to be great citizens and people," he said.
After working for a master's degree, he said, "I would like to work in urban schools with an eye toward reforming them and improving the quality of education for all students."
This summer, he is working at Rochester Prep, a school in Rochester, N.Y., working in a number of areas including a reading and writing class and the discipline office. "I was able to talk with teachers and learn about their methods of instruction," he said. He is also conducting data analysis to evaluate areas of concern for the school, and taking a course on documentary photography and history at the University of Massachusetts in Boston.
At Williams College, Mieze is a member on the school step team and served as co-chair of the Black Student Union this past year and is a member of the Minority Coalition. He was part of Stand With Us, a student group that called for a respectful and affirming community on campus last spring. In addition, he acts and plays rugby.
Previous Rockefeller Brothers Teaching Fund Fellowship awardees from Williams College include Jodi Gajadar '08, a history and psychology major from Otego, N.Y, and Marlena Elmore '07, an American studies major from Milton, Mass.
The Rockefeller Brothers Fund was founded in 1940 and seeks to "promote social change that contributes to a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world."
END
Founded in 1793, Williams College is the second oldest institution of higher learning in Massachusetts. The college's 2,000 students are taught by a faculty noted for the quality of their teaching and research, and the achievement of academic goals includes active participation of students with faculty in their research. Students' educational experience is enriched by the residential campus environment in Williamstown, Mass., which provides a host of opportunities for interaction with one another and with faculty beyond the classroom. Admission decisions are made regardless of a student's financial ability, and the college provides grants and other assistance to meet the demonstrated needs of all who are admitted.
To visit the college on the Internet www.williams.edu
News: Yue-Yi
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