September 2023 – Institute for Recruitment of Teachers

Executive Letter, September 2023

Hello IRT Community!

Happy start of the school year! As we all return to classrooms, offices, routines, and the sounds of learning – I hope our community is well and safe. Over the last few months, the IRT staff worked diligently to ensure our program operations and conversations regarding our future stayed on course. I hope you join me in expressing gratitude for their skill application, resources, and tenacity to augment the opportunities for our Scholars.

We navigated the IRT admissions cycle, welcoming 108 Scholars into our cohort. In the last year alone, teachers faced unprecedented attacks on values the IRT community holds near and dear. We are proud of our Scholars for envisioning a future of education with them in it – even though our broader communities are navigating extensive uncertainty.

2023 IRT Summer Workshop Overview

The IRT virtual Summer Workshop brought together current scholars, alumni and university deans, and representatives to acquire, question, and disseminate knowledge based on lived experiences, public policy, and research. IRT alumni served as summer faculty and engaged with scholars through a variety of sessions this July. IRT scholars learned more about each other through a series of seminars, presentations, and reflective sessions.

Faculty Members of the IRT Summer Workshop

IRT Advising In Full Force

IRT advising has always been the core component of the IRT program. Building connections, community, and confidence through advising has never been more relevant than in the changing and recently daunting educational landscape. Under the direction of Brittany Zorn, IRT ’13, and Leislie Godo-Solo, IRT ’91 the program has developed into an ever-evolving model of targeted sessions that support and meet IRT Scholars where they are throughout the entire graduate school process.

The advising season is more than underway and the advising team has worked with scholars together with encouragement, diligence, and fortitude through an intensive time that can be overwhelming.

Sincere appreciation to Brittany and Leislie for leading the team with such thoughtfulness and intent and to the amazing IRT alumni advisors for their continued work ensuring this critical program constantly flourishes.

Associate Director & Manager of Programs Update, September 2023

Dear IRT Community,

I hope that your Fall has gotten off to a productive start! IRT had a busy Summer of advising, programming, and outreach.

With the launch of our new IRT Scholar cohort this past Summer, we were able to co-construct a curriculum that named the moment, built up scholar capacity, and took into account the shifting educational landscape as a result of the SCOTUS decisions. IRT has never been an organization to shy away from controversy and challenge but instead seeks out input and innovation. IRT Scholars know that they benefit from having diverse educators who are both mirrors and windows into who they are, what they stand for, and who they stand with. In turn, our scholars are eager to give back and provide support and solace for their communities across the PK-12 through the higher education pipeline.

IRT Recruitment On the Road

After a 3-year hiatus, IRT is finally resuming IN-PERSON recruitment events this Fall!

Juliana (Juju) Wong, IRT ‘15, our current Interim Recruitment and Alumni Programs Specialist, is leading a robust recruitment schedule that includes travel to colleges and universities all around the country to host information sessions, attend undergraduate research conferences, and represent at graduate school fairs!