The Woodrow Wilson-Rockefeller Brothers Fund
Fellowships for Aspiring Teachers of Color
Meet the 2010 Woodrow Wilson-Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellows
Victoria-Diane Allison | Brooklyn, NY
• Undergraduate college and major: Wellesley College, Sociology
• Prospective Certification Area: Elementary Education
Volunteer for the Sister Island Project in the Dominican Republic, with experience as a Summer Research Fellow through the Urban Institute Summer Academy and mentor for Bridge the Gap.
Veronica Arellano | San Antonio, TX
• Undergraduate college and major: Texas State University, Interdisciplinary Studies with Music minor
• Prospective Certification Area: Mathematics
Volunteered with LCMS World Mission, teaching English to children in Hong Kong; President of Interruptions, a multicultural anti-racism peer educator organization, and former recreation assistant for San Antonio Parks & Recreation.
Racquel Armstrong | Northfield, OH
• Undergraduate college and major: Wellesley College, Urban Studies with English minor
• Prospective Certification Area: English
Harry S. Truman scholar with experience speaking at conventions, planning and facilitating workshops, and developing a scholarship fund through Unity Enterprises, LLC; active volunteer with the YMCA, Bridge the Gap, the County Commissioner’s Office and Campaign for Cleveland City Council.
Shari Baker | Wheaton, MD
• Undergraduate college and major: Duke University, Cultural Anthropology
• Prospective Certification Area: Urban and Minority Education
Recipient of the Maryland Governor’s Award for Academic Excellence and Washington Metropolitan Scholar; former president of The Girls Club, a Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership Program, also involved with mentoring, tutoring and serves as a dance instructor for the Walltown Children’s Theatre.
Victor Cadilla | Durham, NC
• Undergraduate college and major: Wesleyan University, History and Spanish
• Prospective Certification Area: History
Participated in a program through the U.S. Embassy in Chile, teaching English to park rangers; currently serves as a Tennis Instructor for children and youth, and performs as a stand-up comedian for charity fundraising initiatives.
Makeda Farley | Cleveland, OH
• Undergraduate college and major: University of Pennsylvania, Political Philosophy with minor in African American Studies
• Prospective Certification Area: Social Studies, Sociology, and/or Anthropology
Studied at American University in Cairo and is conversational in Arabic; actively involved with children and youth through ASE Saturday Academy and, formerly, with Peace in the Hood; also acting director of the African Rhythms Dance Troupe.
Charmaine Giles | Cheltenham, PA
• Undergraduate college and major: Swarthmore College, Educational Studies with minor in African American Studies
• Prospective Certification Area: History
Former head coordinator of the Blueprint Project, a mentoring and tutoring program; currently serves as a Senior Admissions Fellow and Black Alumni Steering Committee chair; has experience as a marketing intern for The Philadelphia Public School Notebook.
Tiffany Gills | Flossmoor, IL
• Undergraduate college and major: Emory University, Educational Studies with minor in Sociology
• Prospective Certification Area: Science
Reading counselor intern for Superkids Camp, and teaching assistant for an undergraduate Freshman Seminar in educational history; also involved in community service through Circle K as campus publicity chair.
Maribel Gonzalez | Pomona, CA
• Undergraduate college and major: Pomona College, English
• Prospective Certification Area: English
Volunteer mentor and coordinator for the Draper Center for Community Partnerships at Pomona College; has worked with the Summer Scholars Enrichment Program and serves on the student advisory board for the Pomona Academy for Youth Success; former member of Empowered Latino(a)s in Action.
Ambra Green | Victoria, TX
• Undergraduate college and major: Texas State University, Interdisciplinary Studies
• Prospective Certification Area: Special Education
Dean’s list student and president for the Student Council for Exceptional Children, with experience substitute teaching and tutoring various grade levels, and serving in Special Education intern positions.
Himilcon Inciarte | Norwalk, CT
• Undergraduate college and major: Williams College, Anthropology
• Prospective Certification Area: Elementary Education and Literacy (dual certification)
Worked with Breakthrough New Haven, providing a 6-week history course geared toward academic enrichment, and has experience tutoring as a Writing Fellow; international experiences include a year-long Mandarin program in Beijing, China, and volunteer efforts with the Maya Research Program in Belize.
Nailah Jones | Tega Cay, SC
• Undergraduate college and major: Howard University, Human Development with minor in Spanish
• Prospective Certification Area: Elementary Education
Dean’s list student and member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars who has studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain; prior experiences include serving as a teacher’s aide and tutoring; currently volunteers as a Girl Scout Troop leader.
David Knight | Slidell, LA
• Undergraduate college and major: Dartmouth College, History
• Prospective Certification Area: History
Interned with the Amy Biehl Foundation in South Africa teaching at a primary school, facilitating an HIV Peer Education class, and writing grant proposals; currently a tutor for the America Reads Work Study Program, and co-chair of the DREAM (Directing through Recreation, Education, Adventure, and Mentoring) Program.
Kristin Mason | Centennial, CO
• Undergraduate college and major: Spelman College, English
• Prospective Certification Area: English or Elementary Education with a Reading focus
Works with Jumpstart teaching Pre-K students reading and writing skills in preparation for Kindergarten; also researches children’s mental health and cognitive development for the National Institute of Mental Health; Volunteer mentor at Herndon Elementary School and with the Raising Expectations Mentoring Program; also a Coca Cola mentor scholar.
Lorena Mataalii | Los Angeles, CA
• Undergraduate college and major: Mount Saint Mary’s College, Liberal Arts
• Prospective Certification Area: Elementary Education
Student ambassador and mentor at Hollywood High School; also serves as an after school aid, and Polynesian dance instructor; fluent in Spanish.
Jasmine McDuffie | Humble, TX
• Undergraduate college and major: Spelman College, English
• Prospective Certification Area: English
Member of Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society; experience as a teaching assistant and tutor with several high schools; founder and coordinator of Young Kingdom Builders Summer Camp; volunteered with Relay for Life as chairperson and team captain.
Zahra Mohamed | Fresh Meadows, NY
• Undergraduate college and major: Wellesley College, Spanish
• Prospective Certification Area: Secondary Education, Spanish
Summer Academy assistant director and private tutor for Top Tutors Educational Services; former Wellesley College First Year Mentor and co-president of Women for Caribbean Development; highly proficient in Spanish.
Ashly Osbourne | Brooklyn, NY
• Undergraduate college and major: Pace University, Elementary Education with Mathematics concentration
• Prospective Certification Area: Special Education
Dean’s list student; participated in an inclusion collaboration between Pace University and New York City district 75 students with autism; also a former DJ, hostess, and entertainer for children’s parties.
Olga Pagán | Nanuet, NY
• Undergraduate college and major: Yale University, Psychology
• Prospective Certification Area: Elementary Education
Taught math and served as a mentor in low-income, urban areas of New Mexico through the Breakthrough Collaborative, Santa Fe; current program facilitator for The MAXX, working to address issues in school-community collaboration and urban education reform; also a tutor for New Haven Reads, and musical director and founder of NHA Voices, a gospel choir at a local charter high school.
Estella Reyna | Kyle, TX
• Undergraduate college and major: Texas State University, Elementary Education
• Prospective Certification Area: Multicultural and Bilingual Studies
Dean’s list student and member of the Bilingual Education Student Organization; formerly a teacher for daycare and church activities, and provided art lessons grades K-4.
Kenia Rosa | South Gate, CA
• Undergraduate college and major: Mount Saint Mary’s College, Liberal Studies
• Prospective Certification Area: Literacy
Dean’s list student with fluency in Spanish; also a Kindergarten Supervisor providing after school care, tutoring and creating engaging learning activities.
Emily Taylor | Menlo Park, CA
• Undergraduate college and major: Brown University, Ethnic Studies
• Prospective Certification Area: Elementary Education
Royce Fellow and Coordinator for the Urban Education Semester and Outreach Coordinator for the Curricular Resource Center at Brown University; has experience tutoring and as a minority peer counselor; also facilitated a workshop for the Third World Transition Program.
Shawdae Thorpe | Raleigh, NC
• Undergraduate college and major: Howard University, Human Development
• Prospective Certification Area: Elementary Education
Dean’s list student; served as a teacher’s aide, mentor, and tutor through Jumpstart internship; currently volunteers as a tutor and mentor for the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program, and has volunteer experience with Project Give Back.
Sabine Vilsaint | Stamford, CT
• Undergraduate college and major: Wesleyan University, African American Studies
• Prospective Certification Area: Elementary Education
Experience as a Coach for math, verbal, and writing skills geared toward college and SAT preparation with Let’s Get Ready, and as assistant director for children ages 5–12 at Westover Day Camp; currently a Woodrow Wilson tutor at Wesleyan University, and choreographer for Caliente Dance Troupe.
Angela Vo | Cary, NC
• Undergraduate college and major: Duke University, Public Policy
• Prospective Certification Area: Urban Policy
Participated in Duke Engage Service Learning Experience in Nakuru, Kenya; currently works with middle school students tutoring and presenting lessons through Student U and the Nutrition Education Program at the Durham School of the Arts; also program instructor for FEMMES (Females Excelling More in Math, Engineering, and Science).