Math whiz Andre Braddy
Commencement 2014 may be weeks away for Medgar Evers College (MEC), but one recent graduate is celebrating a major accomplishment, today.
Mathematics major Andre Braddy has been awarded a $100,000 fellowship from Math for America (MfA) for agreeing to serve as a New York City public school teacher while furthering his own studies.
The funds will be paid out over five years, as a stipend, in addition to Andre’s New York City, Department of Education salary. MfA will also pay Andre’s tuition costs as he pursues a Master’s in Education from the City University of New York’s (CUNY) City College of New York. Andre is one of only four CUNY students selected to receive this tremendous honor.
“When I found out, I was elated. I felt like I finally had reached that place in my life where I wanted to be and I have the necessary resources to push myself further and give back to the next generation,” Andre stated. “I want to give back what was instilled in me and helped me get to where I am, today,” he continued.
“Congratulations to Mr. Braddy for this great honor. This is the kind of opportunity that could truly change the trajectory of this young man’s life. He’ll be able to launch his career, have a comfortable financial start as a professional and receive a free, high-quality graduate education. I wish him nothing but the best and I hope that his story will inspire other students to explore all possibilities as they pursue their goals,” said Rudolph F. Crew, president of Medgar Evers College.
Andre is a great testament not only to the amazing work students are doing at Medgar Evers College, but also to the great work faculty are engaging in with students. MEC’s School of Science, Health & Technology, housed in a $247 million state-of-the-art facility, exposes students to a wealth of opportunities that many might not have experienced elsewhere.
This past fall, a team of MEC students and their professors launched their work into low-earth orbit on a NASA Atlas V Rocket – the first such launch for CUNY’s CUNYSAT nanosatellite program.
The MfA NY Fellowship is a five-year program in which recent college graduates and mid-career professionals make a commitment to teach math in New York City public secondary schools.
How the Program Works.
Year One: MfA NY Fellows prepare to become a public secondary school math teacher.
Full-tuition scholarship for a master’s degree in Secondary Mathematics Education especially designed for MfA Fellows at the City University of New York (CUNY) school, the City College of New York. $40,000 stipend.
Years Two through Five: MfA NY Fellows find a full-time position and teach mathematics in a public secondary school in New York City, attend monthly professional development workshops at MfA and work with an advisor. $60,000 in stipends over four years, in addition to New York City’s competitive teaching salary.
[] Job search support, including assistance from MfA in identifying schools, reviewing Fellows’ resumes and providing job opportunities through the MfA online community
[] Mentoring from MfA New Teacher Advisors who visit Fellows on a regular basis in and outside of their classrooms and offer guidance and support
[] Participation in MfA NY corps activities and professional development workshops
[] Support and funding for national and local math and education conference attendance and participation
This year’s commencement promises to be an inspiring event as we celebrate the accomplishments of all of our graduates, many of whom are the first in their families to earn a degree of higher learning.
The 2014 keynote speaker is Michael Eric Dyson.
For more information about MEC’s Commencement, visit www.mec.cuny.edu/commencement.aspx
