Minority Recruits In Education Spike
OAKLAND, CA - Education Pioneers, a non-profit organization committed to training the next generation of public education leaders outside of the classroom, announced today an increase in the number of African-American and Latino recruits in its 2010 Graduate School Fellowship Program. African-American men in the Fellowship increased by 25 percent from 2009-2010, while the number of Latino women jumped by 50 percent. These increases in diverse recruits emphasize Education Pioneers' commitment to ensuring leaders in public education are representative of the communities they serve. The organization's projects are mainly focused on underserved communities and youth, of which a large percentage is African-American and Latino.
“Education Pioneers has been very successful in recruiting outstanding African American and Latino leaders into our Fellowship program,” said Scott Morgan, founder and CEO of Education Pioneers. “Nearly half of our 2010 participants identified as a person of color, an important factor when you consider our commitment to serving underserved students in urban areas.” “All children in our country, no matter their race, deserve a public education that prepares them to have access to not only attend, but graduate from college,” said Dr. William Hite, Superintendent of Prince George’s County Public Schools, an Education Pioneers partner. “Talented African American and Latino leaders are desperately needed in public education and can help shape future opportunities for children in the generations to come.” About Education Pioneers
In addition to the number of African-American graduate students who were recruited, there was a significant rise in the number of African-American applicants interested in participating in the Fellowship. As compared to 2009, there was a 75 and 50 percent rise in applications from African-American men and women respectively. After a rigorous quality screening process, more than 80 percent of African-American and Latino candidates accepted Fellowship positions.
Education Pioneers has actively encouraged people of color to apply for the Fellowship program, through recruitment events such as the National Black MBA Conference in Los Angeles, and the National Society of Hispanic MBA Conference in Chicago. The organization also raises awareness of its programs through its university presentations, which they will host at 76 campuses across the country this fall. Through these efforts, Education Pioneers expects African-American, Latino and leaders from other racial and ethnic groups among its 2011 cohort to increase even more.
The Graduate School Fellowships consist of 10-week intensive consultancy, where the country's most talented graduate students are selected to engage in high-impact projects at education organizations in seven urban locations around the country. These projects provide Fellows with practical experience in the public education sector; the majority of whom return to pursue leadership positions within public education. Education Pioneers recruits heavily from African American and Latino population because it believes that we need more exceptional leaders in education that reflect the communities they serve.
Education Pioneers mobilizes and prepares a national network of talented leaders and entrepreneurs to transform our education system into one that equips all students with the skills they need to thrive in college, career, and life. Through the organization's Fellowship and Alumni leadership programs, Education Pioneers increases the talent supply of top leaders in education and improves leadership capacity in key organizations - such as school districts, charter school organizations, and nonprofits - in the education sector.
