The Pathway to Change - Introducing Project Impact
College of Education - Insights Article
by Chinaka S. DomNwachukwu, Ph.D. | Dec. 12, 2020
Introducing Project Impact
The CSUSB College of Education launched a new initiative, Project Impact, in spring 2020. Project Impact aims to significantly increase teacher diversity through intentional outreach, recruitment, preparation, employment, and structured career mentoring toward the K-12 teaching profession in the Inland Empire. With a special focus on African American males and other underrepresented minorities, the College of Education prepares new teachers to be highly skilled, collaborative, and inclusive educators, who are committed as restorative agents for educational equity and social justice.
Project Impact participants are guided through our teacher preparation programs with a high level of individualized support to navigate the rigorous credentialing process, the challenges faced by new teachers, and a career that is experiencing a high attrition rate in the first five years. Project Impact prepares teacher candidates with foundational, experiential, and relevant pedagogies through our quality teacher preparation programs, pre-internship educational experiences, and the Master Your Craft professional development series. Project Impact prepares teacher candidates to enter the classroom with confidence and to immediately serve as change agents for the students, the schools, and the communities they serve.
Project Impact Partnerships
Recognizing this work cannot be done alone, we have leveraged partnerships with like-minded organizations in the region to make this undertaking a regional effort. Our current partners include the Riverside County Office of Education, the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, the Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) organization, and the Blu Educational Foundation.
To dismantle systemic barriers and to promote equitable outcomes, our educational ecosystem recognizes, encourages, and values the diversity of teaching voices and practices. We seek partnership with other educational agencies, businesses, and non-profit organizations to collaborate with us in the recruitment, preparation, and development of male minority teachers in the Inland Empire and beyond. If you are interested in partnering with us, please reach out to the Dean of the College of Education.
To learn more about Project Impact, please visit https://www.csusb.edu/project-impact