Fellow Profiles
In August 2007, approximately 50 Memphis Teaching Fellows started their teaching careers in 23 schools throughout our city. All Fellows are teaching high need subjects in some of our highest need schools. Details about the 2007 Fellows cohort are below:
Selectivity
- In 2007, approximately 800 applications were received for 50 available positions
Memphis Teaching Fellows is a highly selective program
Diversity
- The Fellows are a diverse group of individuals
- 48% of the Fellows identify themselves as minorities
- 34% of the Fellows are male
Educational Background
- The cohort is highly educated
- The average undergraduate GPA of Fellows is 3.33
- Over 25% of the Fellows hold graduate degrees
Fellow Profiles
Brooke Isaacs
"After college, like most recent graduates, I was ready to enter the job market. I had a degree in Spanish and Sociology, but I didn't feel inspired or motivated by the jobs offered in these fields. I often found myself staring at the education section of the want ads regretting my choice of majors in college. So in routine, I got the Sunday paper and went directly to the Employment section, but this time I saw something inspiring and rewarding staring back at me. It was an ad for the Memphis Teaching Fellows. Since that moment, my life has forever changed. I applied, got accepted, and began the Summer Institute where I learned priceless and unforgettable information that helped me feel confident when I entered the classroom for the first time. Joining MTF also allowed me meet some amazing people who have become great friends and a place to go for an unlimited amount of knowledge of the profession. I owe so much to MTF and I give thanks to them for helping me find a career I am so passionate about."
Brooke is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of Memphis. She has worked as an ESL tutor and traveled to Costa Rica. She is teaching Spanish at Humes Middle School.
Kristen Snell
"After college, I spent a couple of years in the business world, drained and discontented, moving from company to company searching for my passion, searching for something that felt right. My friends and family began to notice a change in my attitude towards work. One of my closest friends recommended that I apply to Memphis Teaching Fellows. I went to the website to investigate her suggestion. As I read about teaching high need students, I knew this was the right program for me.
Once I was admitted to Memphis Teaching Fellows, my life transformed before my eyes. My goals changed from climbing the corporate ladder to closing the achievement gap. I soon learned that teaching could be very rewarding. When one of my students says, 'I get it now!' with a big smile on their face I feel elated. I know I am making a difference in my students’ lives. Before Memphis Teaching Fellows, I thought I was successful. I now know teaching has made me more successful than I have ever been"
Kristen is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of Memphis. She is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honors Fraternity. Kristen is teaching special education at Humes Middle School.
John Estes
"I have recently experienced the joy of having a nephew join the family and the sadness of the loss of a father. These experiences emphasize the journey we all make through this life and what we attempt to bring to it. It has not been the financial gain of my career that has made the difference; it has been the way lives are changed which has been of real importance. As I have endeavored to impart as much of the basic concepts of chemistry, it is what we do with that knowledge that makes good chemistry. I have been fortunate to see students who light up when they grasp a new concept and this helps bring a light to my life. I started in this world curious to find what light I could and I am thankful for those who would share it with me. When I pass on I hope those who have received some of the light that I tried to give will pass it on to the next generation. I choose Memphis Teaching Fellows over other programs because I thought they would best prepare me to pass this light forward."
John is a graduate of Freed-Hardeman University with a major in chemistry and minors in biology and mathematics. He worked for several year in the chemical industry before joining Memphis Teaching Fellows. John teaches chemistry at Melrose High School.