Alexandra Clayton

The first graduates of the Institute for Urban Education (IUE) program received their diplomas on May 9, celebrating four years of work in preparation for successfully teaching in the urban classroom.

The IUE program is a national model for urban teacher preparation with an emphasis on math, science and literacy. It currently has 55 students enrolled, with 20 freshmen beginning in the fall. Students, who undergo 1,400 hours of field working in public schools, receive a four-year scholarship in exchange for a four-year commitment to teach in an urban school.

The program recently received scholarship and program gifts totaling more than $1.1 million. Visit IUE for additional details. Recently, Alexendra Clayton, one of the eight students in the class of 2009, spoke of her experience in the IUE program.