Testimonials for Education Jobs/Careers:                                    (Return to Previous Page)

Hayley Craig '08 - Graduate in Policy Studies and Public Relations Now with Teach for America  

As a special education teacher I am constantly problem solving and working to make my classroom better for my students. As a first year teacher in a low-income, low performing middle school, every day is a battle. Despite all this I work towards improving education. The policy studies major helped me organize and run my classroom in a manner in which success is inevitable. I use data to track my students' progress as well as my effectiveness as a teacher. Running my classroom is like a giant PAF module, except the reward is not a grade, it is the success of my students.

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Susan Crandall '05 - Job at Teach for American and Now in the Corp in Fall of 2005

My undergraduate experience as a policy studies major at Syracuse University has proven absolutely invaluable to my success as full-time staff member at Teach For America’s national office in New York City. Policy studies prepared me well for my first job out of college; I was able to quickly thrive in a fast-paced, forward-thinking, intense workplace and make significant, measurable contributions to this organization – even as one of its youngest staff members.

I left SU last May with a skill-set that far surpassed that of many of my peers in other disciplines. Through my policy studies classes, I gained mastery in areas that employers truly valued: data analysis and database management, quantitative goal-setting and measurement, computer software fluency, and survey design and research. Through practicum's and internships, I also had countless real-world experiences in real-world settings that involved working and communicating effectively with external audiences. Policy studies taught me about tempered idealism: the notion that we can change the world, but only with pragmatic thought, ambitious goals, and strategic action.

I was able to very easily transition into my job at Teach For America, where our mission is improving the educational and life opportunities for children growing up in low-income communities by placing outstanding recent college graduates in two-year teaching commitments in public schools. Though I saw other new staff members—fresh out of college like me—struggle at a workplace where organizational ability, critical and rigorous thinking, relentless pursuit of data-driven results, and constant and continuous improvement are absolutely essential components to success, I was able to dive into my new job with enthusiasm and immediate impact. As a member of our recruitment team, I was part of an effort to attract over 17,000 people to apply to the corps this year, which is a 39% increase among college seniors and a record in Teach For America’s 15-year history.

Next year, I will be teaching elementary school in the New York City public schools as a part of Teach For America’s corps. As I prepare for what will be an intensely challenging experience, I again know that the practical education I received through the policy studies major has positioned me for major success. I have no doubts that—with hard work and tremendous persistence—the children in my classroom next year will make significant academic gains, and I am truly honored to have received a college education that will make that possible.

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Carl Finer '04 - Los Angeles teacher, Teach for America, Policy Studies & Television/Radio/Film major

There is nothing that can prepare you for the job I do.  Even an occasional Coplin tantrum is trivial compared to being cursed at by a student standing on top of a table taking off clothes, diving into a pile to break up a fight, or being caught in a drive-by shooting on the way home from work.  Having said that, without policy studies I would have missed seeing my students storm the door to keep out barbarian invaders during the fall of Rome, starting a running club to take kids addicted to the couch and their video games to the finish line of the LA Marathon, or simply learning to navigate a challenging environment and turn chaos into order. 

I am a teacher.  In Los Angeles.  In the hood.  I teach middle school English and History (Yes, middle school.  What was I thinking?) I came here through Teach for America, which I first heard about in PAF 101.  Policy Studies helped me develop into the person that would make a decision to do this and believe I could actually pull it off.  Within the major, I got tapped into the issue of education policy, and gained the research skills to seek answers to my own questions.  Policy Studies also gave me the freedom to explore this interest in other departments, from history and political science to economics and education, helping me to independently shape my perspective and priorities.

It was a huge leap to leave behind my family and all the things I was comfortable with and come out to Los Angeles.  To make that leap demanded a focus not centered inward, but outward on the community and bigger national issues.  I came to Syracuse looking for opportunities to play a role in the community and tackle real problems.  Policy Studies gave me that.  The responsibility of solving problems for real clients around town sharpened this focus and helped me to push myself to meet higher standards.  Not standards set by professors or students or some conception of what it would take to get a job, but my own standards of professionalism and of serving my clients and the city well.  I still push myself everyday to meet those higher standards.  I’ve just got 93 other students now to push towards that bar too.  

Questions about Syracuse or teaching?  Feel free to email me.  A warning though: I give much better advice on barbecue, burgers, and blues clubs (in LA or Syracuse, your pick). 

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Leah Folmsbee '05 - B.A. Policy Studies, Psychology

I wanted to write to express my gratitude for your assistance in looking at job opportunities after my graduation this past May.  Currently I have actually obtained two jobs- one a temporary counseling position that utilizes my Psychology major, research, and related volunteer experience AND I have been accepted into the New York City Teaching Fellows program and will begin training in January. I think that the positive feedback I have received on my resume and coursework is directly related to the policy studies program and your ideals. In fact, my grant writing internship at Jordan-Elbridge was such a success as well as a government internship that both locations sought to find permanent positions for me as well. It is a great feeling to know that your hard work in college truly does pay off. Thank you very much and Good Luck this year!
 

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Rachel Liebman '02 -  Teach For America Corps Member '02, Masters in Teaching from American University, Curriculum Specialist at Educational Options

I only knew two things about my future career when I came to Syracuse: I didn’t want it to be focused on earning a ton of money, and it had to have a positive impact on something. That’s it. That’s all I knew.

Then I met Coplin and like the rest of us, took PAF 101.

I sat in that auditorium and watched the Teach For America video that Coplin uses to show what a good nonprofit looks like. Immediately, I knew that TFA was exactly the type of organization that I wanted in on. From that day on, I’d consider the way that every class I took and every paper I wrote would impact my future classrooms.  I poured myself into Policy Studies. 

First, I was a TA for 101; I learned to listen to the boss, to lead my peers, and to learn from mine and others’ mistakes. Then I helped design and implement a survey for 315; I learned about teamwork, tedium in Excel, and the discipline of writing. Next I helped design and implement an after school program at Wilson Park for PAF 410; I learned about humility and a little about teaching. I was using Policy Studies to set myself on the path to education reform through TFA.

Lucky for me, Coplin urged me not apply to TFA. Like all of his other techniques, his discouragement effectively motivated me not only to apply, but through and beyond my initial two-year commitment. Everyday in the classroom, in one way or another, I consciously used everything I learned from my Policy courses. But more than that, I heard Coplin’s words in my head telling me to “Do Good.” I also heard his words come out of my mouth, urging my students to Do Good.  Yes, “Do Good,” with a capital D and a capital G, because that’s what it’s all about. That is what he taught me. That is what Policy Studies proved to me. The hours upon hours on Excel, in the lab, fighting with Coplin—it’s all worth it.  It’s all worth it because in the end, you learn how to Do Good effectively.

After Syracuse, Policy, and Coplin, my life has been focused on the education of others. That is my path to Doing Good

Lisa Mueller 02 - English Teacher at High Schools for Leadership and Public Service in NYS, MA in Education from Harvard

As an undergraduate in Public Affairs, I acquired many practical skills that allow me to be very successful in my profession today. PAF gave me, an aspiring educator, the experience of being a Teaching Assistant with two different professors and even teaching my own section of a community service course. I also took an internship opportunity offered only through PAF which introduced me to the world of urban education. These experiences prepared me well to enter a competitive Master's teaching program.

In addition, I was encouraged to network with professionals in the community and collaborate with my peers on policy projects requiring me to collect, analyze, and professionally present data. My writing and critical thinking skills became polished and my ability to understand and articulate the process of policy making sharpened.

Finally, PAF was a really fun major in college! The program isn't too big, so I got to know my classmates and professors very well. I felt like what I was learning would be useful in my life and that has proved true in the 3 years I have been out of school. Professor Coplin's bark is bigger than his bite, and if you are brave enough to sit down with him for lunch someday, he will quickly have you convinced that you alone can save the world. His belief in my ability to make a difference motivated me throughout my higher education and still motivates me today.

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Justin Buffman '01 - Middle School teacher and participant of Middle School Endorsement program

I write happily this time to thank you for never refusing to do so in the past. I'm finishing up a program to obtain Middle School Endorsement in Math so I can teach in the fall. I just accepted an offer for a teaching position at a middle school and look forward to finally having "my own classroom", and place to go to everyday. I know this will sound cheesy, but a lot of the skills I gained from the courses really helped me through my post-graduate studies, and in the workplace.

I found all the writing, especially the different types of writing, helpful. Knowing who your audience is helps frame your writing just as much as focusing on a topic. The other skill that really pops into my head is the interpersonal skills. During the coursework for PAF, you got to work on different teams and for different types of "bosses". A lot of the training for Middle School Endorsement is focused on teaming, as more schools are using this method of teaching to their advantage. The major helps you become accustomed to working in teams, to learn to balance being heard and listening. It may not sound like much, but knowing when to listen is a skill. Otherwise, when you do try and make a point it can discredit you.
 

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Melissa Rouette '01 - Teach For America

When I first joined Teach For America in 2001, I had no idea how my degree in Policy Studies would help me to be successful as an elementary school teacher. However, I quickly found that so many of the skills essential to being a highly effective teacher are skills that I had obtained through my work in Policy Studies. It is very clear to me that everything I learned as a policy studies student contributed greatly to my ability to make significant gains in academic achievement with my second grade students in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Some of the most important skills I needed to be successful in the classroom were benchmarking, data analysis and critical thinking – all of which I learned as a policy studies student. Prior to taking PAF 315 I didn’t know what benchmarking (setting measurable goals to determine success) was. As a teacher, it is absolutely essential to determine the levels that each of your students is entering at, and then to set benchmarks that should be reached at regular intervals throughout the school year so that you know each student is on the path to success for the end of the year and beyond. Hand-in-hand with benchmarking is data analysis. Through the various public affairs courses I was able to get many, many hours of practice with this. As a teacher I had to constantly be collecting data about my students academic progress and then analyzing the data to see if each student was on track to meet the goals I had set, as well as to determine any trends in the data. Was there a certain academic skill that all of my students had done particularly well or poor with? If so, why? Was there a certain group of students who were struggling more than others? Of course, this is where critical thinking became essential – after I had analyzed the data and determined trends, what was going to make the biggest impact in moving my students forward?

Another essential skill to teaching is collaboration, which I was able to strengthen through my policy studies coursework. Many of the public affairs courses require group work on major projects. Teachers, like so many other professionals, must be able to work collaboratively with others in order to have the greatest impact possible. Though I was the instructional leader in my classroom, it was so important that I work on a regular basis with the other second grade teachers at my school to get and share new ideas for lessons, ask for feedback on my instruction, and work through struggles I was having in my room. Also, in order to make a difference for students on a school-wide level, it was imperative for me to join committees and work with colleagues throughout the school for change.

Communication is also a key skill to have as a teacher. The policy studies major provided me with a number of experiences beyond the Syracuse University campus, working with organizations in the community. Through this work I had to learn to communicate effectively with a variety of people in order to accomplish what I had set out to accomplish. This helped me to be better prepared for communicating with parents, my principal, other teachers, and community members – all of whom were important to me being able to reach my goals for my students.

Each of these skills, as well as writing, survey design, and working with Excel, helped me to be highly effective in the work I did as a teacher. They continue to help me in my work today as a Program Director with the Teach For America program, where I select, train, and support corps members. I am incredibly proud to have been a policy studies major, and am thankful to Professor Coplin and Carol Dwyer for helping me obtain the tools I have needed to be successful in my work.

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Chandra Keller-Allen '97 - Inclusive Elementary Education & Policy Studies dual major, MPP from UCLA, current doc student and research assistant at George Washington University

The field of public policy has become one of my work-life passions and it all started with PAF 101 and Coplin.  After SU, I went on to teach in special education for several years, get a Masters of Public Policy at UCLA, and work on budget, policy, and research issues at the US Department of Health and Human Services as a Presidential Management Fellow.  Now I work at George Washington University as a researcher while I finish my doctorate.

I have been able to handle varied responsibilities in my career, including chairing contentious parent meetings, dealing with autistic children throwing tantrums (sometimes Coplin yelling can be a bit like a tantruming child with autism), writing high quality reports, preparing the President's Budget (using Excel, of course), and planning and conducting empirical research, in large part because of the skill sets and foundational knowledge I learned at Maxwell.  My problem has not ever been that I couldn't find a job, but that I couldn't decide which job to take.  Education policy is a field in great need of some quality PAF graduates.  Whether you want to teach, work on education policy, or do education research, the Policy Studies major (especially coupled with an education major) is a clear asset.

In addition to the compelling career-related reasons, I would recommend doing the Policy Studies program because of the people and relationships.  Once you graduate and ten years fly by, you won't remember every book you read, or paper you wrote, or even every professor you had.  But you will remember Coplin.  He is the kind of person that sticks with you, berates you in your subconscious, and spurs you on to keep doing good.  I distinctly recall an episode where I met with him to discuss a draft of my final paper for 315.  We talked about the paper briefly, my responses clearly not sufficient to his comments.  He suddenly reached into his desk drawer, grabbed a rubber stamp with a wooden handle, and slammed it down onto my paper, causing me to jump slightly in my seat.  It said, "Your writing stinks."

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