Teshika Hatch
Fellowship Year: 2020 Summer Fellow
Fellowship Location: The Bay Area, CA
Fellowship Placement: Alpha Public School
What I did before EP:
After graduating from Skidmore College with a degree in sociology-psychology, I worked as a diversity recruiter and admissions counselor for the college. I left to work “on the other side of the desk”, supporting students in the college application process as a case manager and then Program Director for an after-school youth development organization.
Working with students in the after school space made me much more curious about the education system as a whole, which was the catalyst for me to apply for and subsequently complete my masters in Educational Policy, Organizations, and Leadership at the University of Washington.
What I did during the Fellowship:
I worked with the Talent Acquisition team at Alpha Public School, creating a pipeline of new candidates for the 2021-2022 school year, as well as creating a list of recommendations for Alpha’s diversity recruitment strategies. I utilized LinkedIn recruiting to reach out to new candidates, created a process guide for future recruitment, and conducted several interviews with staff across the network to identify challenges related to DEI.
My final report consisted of several recommendations for strengthening DEI in the network, including increasing awareness around the issues for DEI, and implementing network-wide policies and practices that go beyond recruiting and hiring.
What I learned from the Fellowship:
Much of my background has been in college access, but being a part of EP allowed me to see how vast the education system really is—I saw all the different arms that work together to support students in their growth and learning.
I had spent a great deal of time reflecting on whether I wanted to work with students on a micro level, or to support students indirectly through policies and systems. EP gave me a chance to see how different people impact student lives differently. More than anything, I love being part of a network of brilliant educators!
