Patricia “Pat” Jepson’s history with UConn spans several decades – from her time as a high school student to her retirement in 2017. Throughout her career, Jepson worked to promote excellence and diversity in Connecticut’s agricultural education programs – a commitment she maintains even now. As a student at Wilson High School (now Middletown High School), Jepson was involved in her school’s agriculture program and took UConn co-op credits. Jepson, a first-generation college student, went on to study animal science at UConn.
Since 2017, the number of students of color has more than doubled in the Neag School’s Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates and increased by 33% in the Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s Teacher Education Program.
Michael Fenn ’19 (CLAS), ’21 MA, a native of East Lyme, Connecticut, grew up around many family members who served as teachers, including his father, grandmother, mother, and two of his sisters. After completing his undergraduate degree in general science at UConn in 2019, Forsyth went on to earn his master’s degree in curriculum and instruction through the 11-month Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates (TCPCG) at the Neag School of Education. He is now a middle school science teacher for Manchester (Connecticut) Public Schools.
Dr. Violet Jiménez Sims, the associate director of teacher education at Neag, said that education students could meet some of the demand for teachers. Her five-year program partners with 13 districts in the state, and she said that many of these districts hire their graduates. Dr. Niralee Patel-Lye, who directs Neag’s accelerated teacher certification program, said the department recently piloted a program that places students in full-time teaching positions.
Change Lives. Become a Teacher. Fall Open House Sessions for UConn’s One-Year Teacher Certification Program
Dan Pichette, who was appointed the dean of students at Journalism and Media Academy this past August, is wrapping up his first year as an administrator. He graduated from the Neag School of Education’s Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates (TCPCG) program in 2004 and the University of Connecticut Administrator Preparation Program (UCAPP) in 2011.
Thanks to the Neag School’s STEM-focused Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates (TCPCG) at Avery Point, a second cohort of graduates is now prepared to teach in such critical shortage areas as science and math. And with a new grant in place, the program is not only ready to recruit – but also fully fund – 24 more aspiring science teachers from nontraditional backgrounds at Avery Point over the next four years.
Neag Alumni Society Scholarship recipient, Colin Usher, is a current student in the Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates (TCPCG). He recently reflected on the impact of the scholarship from the Neag Alumni Society.
In the United States, children typically begin formal education once they turn five or six years old, but this is not always the norm in other countries. Zato Kadambaya, a Neag School of Education alum, started first grade when he was 11 years old. Born in Togo — a small West African nation where children […]
Do you know someone looking to make a career change? Do you know someone who wants to become a teacher with the help of UConn’s nationally acclaimed Neag School of Education? Graduates of Neag School’s Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates earn an MA, state certification and the know-how to make a difference in the […]
