Elise Hadley '06: Science and Teach for America

Elise Hadley '06, attended Boston University where she majored in Neuroscience and Public Health. Although she’s considering medical school for psychiatry, she was most recently involved with Teach for America. TFA seeks outstanding leaders to serve in low-income schools, and she served as a science teacher in Lawrenceville, 40 minutes outside of Boston. Elise said, “It was one of the most underperforming schools in the state and about 40% of my students were English Language Learners. Some of them had tough home lives and behavior issues, so it could be challenging to teach.”

When asked what she liked best about her job, she said, “I love watching a student when they ‘get it.’ They’ve put in the hard work and finally they understand.” In her role, she saw firsthand the impact of not having positive, successful adults as role models. “What I appreciated most about Villa were the successful and educated teachers and other adults. Because of them, I never questioned whether I would go to college or whether I could be successful.”