Inaugural cohort joins Mercyhurst’s new teacher diversity program

“Today’s an exciting day,” declared an animated Dr. Susan Johnson, director of undergraduate education at Mercyhurst. “We’re getting our laptops!”

With that, she passed out boxed personal computers to five eager 2023 graduates of Erie High School enrolled in the Department of Education’s newest program: NextGen814. The initiative, designed to increase the number of teacher candidates in Pennsylvania who are racially, ethnically, socioeconomically, and linguistically diverse, earned top funding of $100,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Innovative Teacher Prep2Practice Grant Program earlier this year.

The students chosen to participate are getting acclimated to college life this summer, taking six credits in teacher preparation classes, before starting full time in the fall. All received Erie Promise Grants from the university that cover unmet tuition costs. The cohort also has access to high-quality academic advising and mentoring. Current pre-service teachers in the Education Department as well as teachers of color in Erie City Schools will serve as mentors.

Students will be introduced to their respective mentors at a special reception on Monday, Aug. 21, at 3 p.m., in Mercy Heritage Room.

“The US has a chronic issue of recruiting and retaining teachers, especially in the post-COVID era and for teachers of color,” said Johnson. “All along the pipeline to becoming a teacher, there are interconnected systemic barriers that prevent prospective teachers from marginalized populations from entering college, thriving while there, and persisting through to graduation.” 

Johnson and Education Department faculty Amy Bauschard created the new program, believing that fostering inclusion and taking a culturally responsive approach to teaching and learning benefits everyone.

NextGen814 participants are:

• Persie Doolittle
• Johnae Henderson
• Jaleiha Johnson
• Tatyana Serrano
• Prakriti Tamung

“I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life,” said Persie Doolittle. “I had some personal struggles growing up.” 

But at Erie High, a lightbulb went on and she discovered a love of music, joining both the marching and concert bands. When she learned of Mercyhurst’s new teacher education program, she decided to apply. Today, she is on track to becoming a music teacher. She is the only NextGen participant opting to teach at the high school level.

Part of encouraging diversity among teachers is their natural relatability. Besides teaching her discipline, Doolittle believes her personal experiences and emotional struggles combined with her empathetic personality can enable her to relate to students at the high school level who may face similar challenges.

For Johnae Henderson, being one of six children made the prospect of affording higher education a challenge, if not a barrier. The Mercyhurst program has made all the difference, and she is determined to be a teacher who can make a difference.

“Growing up in Erie, I know the challenges that many students face,” she said. “There aren’t many teachers who are the same color as me or have gone through the same struggles and experiences as me. I can be someone students, and even other teachers, can relate to.”

Jaleiha Johnson calls herself “an outspoken person” who likes to try new things. “I’ve always wanted to be a teacher and, growing up, my teachers told me I’d make a good one,” she said. “I’m good with kids and people.” 

As a former student council president and captain of her high school’s cheerleading squad, Johnson said she’s ready for whatever college throws her way. Not only does she want to commit academically, but she wants to take advantage of the university’s clubs and organizations.

Tatyana Serrano said the Mercyhurst program has awakened in her all kinds of possibilities. While she is on track to earn a degree in Early Childhood Education, she said she is considering starting her own day care business.

“That just came to me in the past couple weeks,” she said, acknowledging her excitement at considering all her options.

Finally, Prakriti Tamung, a native of Nepal who came to the United States at the age of 9, has only lived in Erie for two years. Throughout her young life, college hadn’t even been a consideration. “Too expensive,” she said.

The Mercyhurst program eliminated that roadblock so she could become what she had longed to be as far back as she could remember: a teacher. 

PHOTO: Dr. Susan Johnson works with the inaugural cohort of the NextGen814 program, from left, Jaleiha Johnson, Prakriti Tamung, Persie Doolittle, Tatyana Serrano, and Johnae Henderson.