Teaching with Purpose: Stories from Four MTI Scholars

The Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI) Scholarship isn’t just about financial support, it’s about building a future where every student sees themselves reflected in their educators. Across Illinois, MTI recipients are shaping classrooms, inspiring young minds, and making a lasting impact on their communities.

In this blog series, we’re highlighting the journeys of MTI scholars: how the scholarship has supported them, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the successes they’re achieving in classrooms across the state. Their stories underscore why programs like MTI are vital to ensuring a strong, diverse teacher workforce in Illinois. By elevating these voices, we hope to shed light on the power of representation in education and the role that dedicated, diverse educators play in student success. Through their experiences, we see firsthand how equitable access to the teaching profession strengthens schools, enriches learning, and transforms lives.

Hear from four students who are MTI scholars.

What inspired you to become a teacher? What subject or grade level do you work with? 

Student One: I was inspired to become a teacher because of a high school teacher in my junior year. She had a positive impact not only in my academic career but also my personal life. She was a great teacher and friend who I still keep in touch with. I am currently working at a Children’s Learning Center with three and four year olds. 

Student Two: My inspiration comes from my father who was one of the first teachers trained after the Congo's Independence to teach in the elementary schools. Now I am a Diverse learner (Special Education) student teacher from 3-7 grade. I teach math, reading, and English language arts in the Resource and Inclusion 4th grade class. 

Student Three: I enjoy being able to teach and work with kids, the look on their faces when they catch on is priceless… 

Student Four: The number of children whose scores dropped during the pandemic and knowing those children came from backgrounds similar to my own is what inspired me to become a teacher. I work with special education children in a cluster setting; grades k-3. 

Are there barriers that you recognize or experienced to becoming a teacher? 

Student One: I believe one of the barriers that I am experiencing now is the new policies that our current president is doing with the Education Program. There are various uncertainties that can affect not only teachers, but children. 

Student Two: I do not have barriers to be a teacher, but I do recognize the difference between public schools and private schools. Coming from Catholic schools, I am learning new skills. 

Student Three: Expenses. 

Student Four: Our children need more resources than they currently have and it's hard to succeed when you aren't provided the same resources as your peers.  

How have you used the MTI scholarship to assist you on your path to becoming an educator? 

Student One: Yes, I am currently using the MTI scholarship to assist me on my path to becoming an educator. 

Student Two: Without MTI scholarship, I could not afford to live in Chicago and pursue higher education. 

Student Three: I use it to pay bills. 

Student Four: I've already started purchasing items for my own classroom in the Fall of 2025. Schools don't receive enough money to develop their classrooms, so I used what I could afford. 

How did you learn about the MTI scholarship? 

These students learned about the MTI scholarship through web searches, INCRRA, and their classmates.