Allison Sorgeloos is originally from Detroit, Michigan and is a junior at Arizona State University. She is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in secondary education (English) with a minor in history and a certificate in cross-sector collaboration at Barrett, the honors college at ASU Tempe. Allison served as a teaching fellow for Breakthrough SJC this past summer and taught 7th grade social studies. She said, “I applied to be a teacher at Breakthrough because, as an education major, I knew about the inequities that students who are underrepresented in higher education often face. I wanted to work with Breakthrough because they are working to end the cycle of poverty by getting students to graduate high school and into universities as well as creating sustainable change in communities across the country.”
When asked about her experience at Breakthrough SJC this summer, Allison noted, “Being a teaching fellow at Breakthrough SJC was the best experience of my life! I gained so much from working for Breakthrough. I had access to incredible professional development and amazing colleagues who inspired me to get more involved on my college campus. I was able to work with a dedicated staff and received valuable experience in a classroom. Ultimately, the Breakthrough students brought the whole experience together. They were driven, passionate, brilliant students who proved time and time again that they can and will change their world. They came ready to work, cheer, and play all summer, and they continue to inspire me every single day. The experience was so overwhelmingly positive, and I wouldn’t trade my summer for anything!”
Allison is passionate about educational equity and is a leader on campus at ASU. She is a member of Alpha Gamma Delta Women’s Fraternity and Next Generation Service Corps. She works as the Tempe Programming Chair at Changemaker Central, is a Campus Campaign Coordinator for Teach for America, volunteers with PageTurners, is a Tillman Scholar and program assistant, and is a Lincoln Scholar for applied ethics. She was also recently crowned ASU’s 2017 Homecoming Queen!
We are truly grateful for teaching fellows such as Allison who dedicate their summers to empowering the minds of our students. The application to become a teaching fellow for 2018 is available here. The early action deadline is January 11, 2018. If you have any questions about being a teaching fellow or about the application process, feel free to contact Director Victor Cota at 949-661-0108 ext. 1342 or victor.cota@smes.org.
