Surrounded by a family of educators – including two parents with PhDs in education who supported research and standardized testing for Canada’s largest school districts – Mark Cheng always knew education was a career path worth pursuing.
Still, he struggled to find the right way to make his mark. “When I thought about different jobs in education, I just assumed it would be teaching by default,” Mark admits. Recognizing that he didn’t have the ideal skillset to be a successful classroom teacher, Mark sought opportunities outside of the classroom.
While earning a graduate degree that combined his passion for economics and education at Columbia University’s Teachers College, Mark discovered Education Pioneers and his powerful next career step.
“EP opened doors to opportunities for high-impact, meaningful work," Mark says. “Normally, to get that kind of exposure you would need to work for free.” His Fellowship experience has shaped his career trajectory ever since.
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