Dr. Kelly Estrada and Dr. Theresa Burruel Stone teamed up to bring a new program to Sonoma State in order to encourage students on pre-education pathways to become teachers. EduCorps is promoted as a “community of individuals interested in growing the future through teaching,” While EduCorps supports all students, they aim to diversify the future of education.

When the majority of educators are white, like the current teaching demographic, students of color can be at a disadvantage. Recruiting more students of color and white students who are oriented towards fighting the racial inequalities helps children gain a better education with extensive diversity knowledge. When students see teachers that look like them, they feel more understood, seen, and they thrive when their teachers have a similar background.

In an interview with Burruel Stone, she went deeper into what the program looks like, and what they aim to accomplish on SSU’s campus. “Thinking about education critically” is very important in the eyes of EduCorps. There’s a need for teachers across California, so they want to help fill those positions with people from all backgrounds to diversify and add to the education of schoolchildren.

She also went on to say that there needs to be an “important intervention in this next generation of teachers to help students of color, multilingual students, and poor students.” The access to college for these students is very limited. Finances and lack of information play a huge role in that, which then creates a sort of hierarchy for people with means to join the teaching fields. Through EduCorps, students who are in “pre-teaching majors” will have the resources necessary to become an educator.

EduCorps is a teacher recruitment and support group that provides crucial information on the types of tests needed, how to fill out the FAFSA to get the most money for your education, as well as what kind of credentials are needed and how to get those.

While EduCorps is new to Sonoma, they are recruiting teachers to nominate students in those pre-teaching majors for the program, as well as sending out emails. The program is very specific in that they aim to reach students who wish to become teachers. However their goal can also be seen under a broader light, because almost any major can be on the pre-teaching path. “More teachers of color and more white teachers oriented to racial inequalities” will without a doubt transform the K-12 education that students of every race will receive.

In April there will be a “Celebration of Teaching” week where EduCorps will have information sessions about the program, as well as sessions on how to get bilingual credentials, and much more. Through this, they want to emphasize that “building and working with communities” is an important value that they carry, and that many teachers are able to pick up.

Looking at the EduCorps Instagram, the program strives to be up-to-date on social issues, as well as educating followers on what their program is all about. EduCorps explicitly states that they want to “be advocates for our students,” doing so in a way that “responds to their needs with care and healing centered engagement.” It’s refreshing to see a program work toward diversity in such an inclusive way, and truly paves the way for future educators throughout the CSU system.

Their Instagram also goes on to remind students about important events and dates, ranging from FAFSA deadlines and brand-new clubs for students. From clubs to events through the HUB, EduCorps shows students what type of events are going on through the school, and how to get involved. EduCorps honors the future of education, and they make it clear that an antiracist and culturally-sustaining classroom is imperative for the next generation of teachers.

EduCorps emphasizes that our current generation of students studying to be teachers are an important part of the change for our future. If students are looking to fully immerse yourself in the diversity education that EduCorps offers, they are always welcome to reach out. If any of this information hit home with you, or it’s something that you are interested in learning more about, check out their Instagram or send them a DM at @ssu_educorps for more information.