ASU – Teach For America Partnership

Teach For America invites outstanding recent college graduates and professionals from all fields to join a national corps of teachers willing to commit two years to serve in high-need urban and rural public schools. Corps members train to meet the needs of local children and develop leadership skills to take on challenges in any setting. Members receive a full salary, benefits, student loan assistance and future graduate school and employment opportunities.

In 2006, Arizona State University and Teach For America–Phoenix created a partnership that advances Teach For America recruitment, alumni leadership, corps member support and development, and trains TFA members for deployment statewide through the Phoenix Institute. The ASU–TFA partnership, which extends throughout the university, is headquartered in Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College.

Teach For America recruitment

An ASU–Teach For America collaboration increases the number of ASU graduates serving in the teaching corps in Phoenix and around the nation. Each year ASU seniors receive letters encouraging them to apply to the corps and take advantage of support from President Michael Crow's office. The collaboration also includes a think tank comprising key stakeholders from ASU and Teach For America that meets regularly to discuss recruitment of students into the corps and additional avenues for partnership.

Teach For America's ASU Recruitment Manager regularly meets with interested undergraduate and graduate students from ASU to share more about the corps and support them throughout the application process.

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Phoenix Institute

The Teach For America–Phoenix Institute takes place in Phoenix-area elementary, middle and high schools. MLFTC instructors co-teach with the Phoenix Institute staff, providing new corps members with the skills to become successful teachers in urban and rural schools. Corps members reside at the ASU Downtown Phoenix campus during the summer while attending the institute. Phoenix is one of a handful of U.S. cities selected to host one of the institutes, preparing approximately 500 corps members each year to become first-year teachers in cities across the state.

Teacher support and development

Teach For America–Phoenix corps members are encouraged to consider ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College to get the coursework needed to obtain teacher certification. The college tailors these programs to the unique and valuable experience of corps members. All courses are delivered remotely to meet the needs of working professionals.

• MEd Elementary Education (teacher certification)
• MEd Secondary Education (teacher certification)
• MEd Special Education (teacher certification)
• Teacher Certification graduate certificate  

All of these programs qualify for the Arizona Teachers Academy at ASU tuition scholarship for students who commit to teach in Arizona after graduation.

Alumni leadership

Teach For America–Phoenix and ASU are dedicated to retaining Teach For America alumni in Arizona and attracting corps alumni from across the country to take on leadership roles as advocates for children in this state. Since 2007 ASU has offered five fellowships annually to Teach For America alumni, enabling them to pursue graduate degrees in educational leadership from Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College.

Application Process for Fellowship Candidates

1. ASAP: Complete “Intent to apply” form to ensure you receive timely and most updated communications about the process.
2. End of August/Early September: Join us for the Virtual Applicant Information Session to learn more about the program and ask questions. Date and RSVP link will be updated and emailed to all alumni who complete the interest form.
3. By October 2: Candidates submit all fellowship application materials to Carminia.Munoz@teachforamerica.org. Application materials include resume, letter of intent, school-based scenarios responses and two letters of recommendation.
4. Week of October 9: Selection committee reviews applications and selects up to ten finalists to interview.
5. November 2 and 3: Selection committee conducts 20-minute interviews with each of the finalists. You will only need to be available for one of the two interview days, which will be scheduled once finalists are selected.
   
   The selection committee will include representatives from Arizona State University, Teach For America, and current or recent school administrators.
6. Early November: From the group of finalists selected, five candidates are notified that they have been selected to receive the award