Ashleigh Stacy - Teach for America
Recent graduate Ashleigh Stacy is working to close the "achievement gap" in Houston, Texas, and she gives credit to her CNU professors for mentoring her and inspiring her to work hard and make a difference.

The "achievement gap" refers to the difference in educational success rates between low-income and middle- to high-income students, and is a pressing issue that Ashleigh cares passionately about. As a member of the prestigious Teach for America program, she teaches pre-kindergarten in a low-income area where schools are under-resourced and teachers often have low expectations for their students. Teach for America places highly qualified college graduates in classrooms all over the country in an effort to end poverty cycles and low graduation rates. At the same time, teachers like Ashleigh gain invaluable experience and are challenged daily.

"This is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, but my experiences at CNU prepared me for it," said Ashleigh. "My professors believed in me and taught me the joy of learning." That joy, for Ashleigh, translates into a desire to give less-fortunate students the opportunity to succeed.

While at CNU, Ashleigh was presented with outstanding opportunities, including internships on Capitol Hill and at Ferguson Enterprises, which she believes prepared her well for her work with Teach for America. The best preparation she received, she says, was from the CNU faculty and staff members who believed in her, invested in her and motivated her to succeed.

"While I was at CNU, I had a number of professors and members of the administration looking out for my welfare, both academically and personally, which helped to ensure that I was getting the most out of my education."

Dr. Pamela Dunning, Assistant Professor of Government at CNU, is one of the many professors to whom Stacy attributes her success. "At CNU, we truly care about the success of our students and work to provide them with opportunities both before and after graduation. Mentoring is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects of teaching here," said Dr. Dunning.

Ashleigh Stacy plans to enter the field of education policy, and says she will always carry with her the inspiration she received from her professors at CNU. Using the experience she has gained through Teach for America , she has the power to make a difference.