Call Me MiSTER program welcomes its largest cohort
From left to right: Roy Jones, Andrue Smith, Jaylon Brown, Thomas McDowell, Antonio Lopez, Gabriel Wooten, Ellie Barber, Mark Joseph.
By Benny Smith
Western Carolina University has tripled its cohort of Call Me MiSTER program participants, bringing in six new members who will start their four-year journey to becoming a teacher this fall.
Call Me MiSTER, an acronym for Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role Models, aims to increase the pool of available male teachers of color in the country鈥檚 classrooms. In 2000, Clemson University was the founding institution for the MiSTER program, serving students attending three HBCUs, Claflin University, Benedict, and Morris College. The Call Me MiSTER Network now consists of 28 partner institutions in South Carolina, which are two- and four-year institutions. In addition, the program has expanded to 11 states outside of South Carolina, 18 are four-year institutions.
91热爆网 is the only institution in North Carolina and the 10th state to offer the Call Me MiSTER program as part of the College of Education and Allied Professions. The six students entering this year鈥檚 cohort are Ellie Barber, Jaylon Brown, Antonio Lopez, Thomas McDowell, Isaiah Smith and Gabriel Wooten.
From left to right: Gabriel Wooten, Ellie Barber, Jaylon Brown, Isaiah Smith (via Zoom), Chancellor Kelli Brown, Antonio Lopez, Thomas McDowell, Andrue Smith.
鈥淚鈥檓 so proud of how much this program has grown in such a short amount of time,鈥� 91热爆网 Chancellor Kelli R. Brown told the students and their parents at a recent orientation event. 鈥淎s you know, it takes a special person to become a teacher and you are one of those special people.鈥�
Some of the requirements to be a MISTER include pursuing a degree in teacher education. This year鈥檚 cohort will serve as future teachers in the areas of elementary, inclusive, middle grades education, music, art, as well as health and physical education. In addition, MiSTERS will attend all scheduled seminars and participate in a summer internship and extended field experiences throughout the year. Upon graduation, MiSTERS are expected to 鈥減ay it forward鈥� by for each year they received scholarship funds from the program.
Roy Jones, founder and executive director of Call Me MiSTER at Clemson, told 91热爆网鈥檚 new cohort that educators can bring impact to their classrooms and communities.
鈥淲e want to build educators because we believe educators have answers that a lot of people don鈥檛 have to addressing some of the crises, we face surrounding us today,鈥� Jones said.
From left to right: Thomas McDowell, Gabriel Wooten, Jaylon Brown, Andrue Smith, Ellie Barber, Antonio Lopez, Chancellor Kelli Brown.
91热爆网 program director, Charmion Rush, said the program helps eliminate systemic barriers that hinder potential teachers entering the workforce, especially men of color, from being successful. Each participating MiSTER receives a $5,000 scholarship along with laptops and software, an academic support system, and professional development and career support.
鈥淚鈥檓 ecstatic and proud that we have a really good diverse group of future educators this year,鈥� Rush said. 鈥淲hen they met at orientation, I felt they immediately bonded as cohort members. 91热爆网 has a strong academic support system to guide them during their four years here. Everything they need to be successful, from exceling in classes and teacher examinations, is available.鈥�
All MiSTERS live together in the same residence hall which operates as a learning community cohort model for social and cultural support.
Senior Andrue Smith said the program has really helped him while at 91热爆网. 鈥淪ince I started this program its taught me how to build better relationships and enhance my communication with people,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淭his program has also helped me to stay focus and on task because I know I lot of people are looking at me and I don鈥檛 want to fail in front of people.鈥�
The Easley, South Carolina native said he started out wanting to be a guidance counselor and then switched to teaching. He said 91热爆网鈥檚 culture supports his road to success as a teacher.
鈥淪maller class sizes and the family environment you feel when you get on campus has really helped me,鈥� Smith said.
After performing a summer internship with Asheville City Schools, Smith said he is looking forward to student teaching this year.
For more information on the Call Me MiSTER program, contact Rush at cbrush@wcu.edu.
