Born in Zambia and educated in America my international experience has immersed me in foreign language and culture and has provided an expanded vision of the benefits of cross cultural communication. As a child, my personal struggle and triumphs to learn English in a foreign country increased my appreciation of effort and helped me develop patience, a characteristic that prevents me from giving up struggling students. 

As a life advocate for a homeless shelter in Boston Massachusetts, I helped families address public policy issues on housing, and education. The shelter had a diverse group of 30 children all between the ages of one and thirteen. I helped the children transition into the Boston Public Schools, which proved to be personally rewarding because I could relate to some of the issues the children faced, specifically language barriers and cultural differences.

As an intern with the Admission Guaranteed Program (AGP) I worked with high school students to increase academic achievement and college attendance.

As an intern at the Department of Social Services, I worked with children in foster care and researched the lack of foster parents in minority neighborhoods. This experience taught me some of the external personal struggles that impede children’s educational potential. 

As an intern at the Massachusetts Reform Institute, I trained on issues regarding unemployment compensation, immigrants and public policy, food stamps, security for disabled individuals and about emergency assistance shelters. This training provided an understanding of the community forces that shape young children’s environment outside school.

I believe my varied life experiences, and my long standing interest in education reflects a common theme of intellectual curiosity, compassion and humanitarian concern – qualities I believe to be concurrent with your foundation.