Claremont, Calif. (May 19, 2015)—Pitzer College student Francis Sugita ’16, a political studies major, has been awarded a Breakthrough Collaborative Teaching Fellowship for summer 2015. He will be assigned to Oakland, CA, to teach low-income middle-school students and help prepare them to succeed in college.
One of the most rigorous teaching experiences available to undergraduates in the US, the Breakthrough program recruits its undergraduate teachers from 100-plus colleges and universities throughout the nation, including the 20 most competitive institutions, historically black colleges and all the Ivy League schools. The highly selective process requires applicants to submit essays, a sample teaching video, transcripts and a recommendation.
Prior to teaching in one of 33 cities in the US, Breakthrough Collaborative Teaching fellows are trained in lesson planning, instructional strategies and classroom management. They learn how to engage students with specific objectives as well as how to establish rules, routines and high standards for classroom behavior. They also develop skills related to holding effective parent conferences and assessing student learning.
Sugita, who is from Portland, OR, transferred to Pitzer this year. During his time at Pitzer, he has worked with underserved youth through Jumpstart and participated in the Pitzer Model UN program. He plans to pursue a career in education.
