Junior linguistic major Jason To is earning his minor in Racial Justice in Urban Schooling and participating as a CEHD America Reads literacy mentor in pursuit of his career as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher.

What drove you to enroll in the Racial Justice in Urban Schooling (RJUS) minor program?

I have a strong passion for education, and knowing that there are inequalities in the education system based only on the color of your skin or a box you checked off when enrolling in school troubles me. Once I heard about this minor, I knew it would help me find out more about these issues in the education and I declared as soon as I could. 

What do you hope to get out of the minor? How will it help you in your career path?

I hope to learn about how the opportunity gap started and how to better end the opportunity gap that our education system has created. My hope is that this minor will give me a better perspective on how to best serve my students as a future educator. 

You are also a CEHD America Reads literacy mentor, helping students advance their reading skills in after school and community programs. How long have you been in that role?

I have been a CEHD America Reads mentor since my freshman year, so this will be my third year returning as a mentor.

What part of the CEHD America Reads program did you find the most rewarding?

I love working with the scholars, they bring so much energy and fun to the job. Going to work brightens my day every time.

Did the literacy tutoring help you with your learning goals?

It absolutely has. As I’m learning about these issues in class, I’m able to better help my mentees.

What do you hope to do after graduation?

After graduation, I hope to go to grad school to get my master of education, and then become a middle school ESL/English teacher.

Any other thoughts you want to share about your experience in the RJUS minor or the CEHD America Reads program?

I would recommend both of these programs to anyone who is interested! RJUS and America Reads has allowed me to meet so many people who have a shared interest in education and to interact with the community and experience what is truly happening around me.

Apply to be a literacy mentor with CEHD America Reads (work-study award required) at z.umn.edu/CEHD_America_Reads or email Jennifer Kohler at jkohler@umn.edu.