I was first drawn to the Teacher Corps program because I felt it would enable me to combine so many of my passions into one experience.  Working towards social justice by improving the public education system from the grassroots level, surrounding myself with individuals who share my beliefs and values, and framing the experience in quintessential Southern hospitality – I could not have asked for a better summer job.

I have filled myriad roles this summer.  I have performed the prototypical “intern tasks” of scanning, copying, and creating databases.  I have been a photographer and an editor.  I met with administrators and school district representatives.  I would like to think I played at least a small role in the success of the MTC Summer School at Holly Springs High School. 

Both the biggest challenges and the biggest rewards of being a part of MTC are the students.  Trying to overcome numerous obstacles that are, more often than not, out of the students’ control in order to create a positive learning environment can prove to be an arduous task.  That said, once you have accomplished this feat, the rewards are endless.

The recruitment material for the “other” Corps advertises, “The opportunity to serve, the opportunity to succeed.”  Our Corps provides just that, but our Corps members engage in a different type of battle, a type where, hopefully, everyone can win.  The MTC Esprit de Corps has been the lifeline of this program.  And the rewards are compounded when you see your classmates succeed.

Idealistic, realistic, optimistic, enthusiastic, passionate, committed, dedicated, diligent, hard-working, life-long learners – these are the members of the Mississippi Teacher Corps.  How could you not be excited to work with such a remarkable group?

The Mississippi Teacher Corps is the most competitive alternate-route teaching program in the country. It is a two-year program that recruits recent college graduates to teach in critical-shortage areas in the Mississippi Delta, in exchange for a full scholarship for a master's degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Mississippi. The program was founded in 1989 by Amy Gutman, a Harvard University graduate student, and Dr. Andy Mullins, then Special Assistant to the State Superintendent of Education. Since 1989 more than 350 participants, reaching an estimated 70,000 students, have taught in critical-needs school districts as part of the Mississippi Teacher Corps.