Ph.D. Student, Higher Education, University of Texas: Austin

Sarah is a graduate of Penn GSE’s Education, Culture and Society program, and a doctoral student in Higher Education at the University of Texas: Austin. They are a Boston native, former Americorps member, and organizer on Penn’s campus. In their time at Penn, Sarah founded FGLIQ, a group for First Generation Low-Income Queer students, and conducted research with Dr. Ed Brockenbrough.

You can read more about her work on campus in this article from the Daily Pennsylvanian.

What do they do?

“The Philly Youth Poetry Movement (PYPM) is a non-profit organization that provides a safe space for Philadelphia teens to discover the power of their voices through spoken word and literary expression. PYPM offers literary arts education programming for youth ages 13-19 that promotes creative expression, critical literacy, life skills, and civic engagement. We believe that when youth take ownership of their voice, they take ownership over themselves.”

How do they do it?

Slam League; Free writing and performance workshops; PYPM International Slam Team; youth-led clubs, and other programming

Contacts

• Kai Davis at https://www.kaidavispoetry.com/

• L’tajh Carter at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG0cyaGc2eQ

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Director of School-Community Partnerships, Henry C. Lea Elementary School

What does he do?

Rich Coordinates school-community partnerships between Lea Elementary School, the University of Pennsylvania, and various community-based and nonprofit organizations. Facilitate communication and collaboration among all school stakeholders, including school administration, faculty and staff, family and community members, and partner organizations and programs. Develop systems, procedures, norms, and expectations for school-community partnerships. Serve as the Lea-Penn Liaison responsible for managing all partnerships affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania via the Lea-Penn Partnership and the Office of School and Community Engagement at the Penn Graduate School of Education. Serve on the School Leadership Team and the School Advisory Council. Support the Family and Community Engagement Coordinator in facilitating family and community engagement programming. Design and facilitate the Lea Partnerships Study, a longitudinal academic study aimed at developing a shared understanding of how to develop strong, reciprocal relationships and sustainable, mutually beneficial partnerships among stakeholders within the context of a school-community-university partnership.

How does he do it?

Community partnerships and engagement; facilitation of communication and collaboration; development of systems, procedures, expectations; research and study.

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Associate Director, Urban Teaching Apprenticeship Program

What does she do?

Latoya Landfair, M.S.Ed., is an educator, mentor, and coach. She obtained her Master’s in Education from the University of Pennsylvania in 2010, where she was a founding member of the university’s first Race in Education Symposium, “Breaking the Silence.” She was invited to return to the symposium in 2011 as a panelist, bringing light to the disparities between school reform and quality of education for Black and Brown students in low-income neighborhoods.

Ms. Landfair began teaching in West Philadelphia immediately after graduate school. Noting the connection between math teaching and student achievement, she obtained her Math certification in 2013. Ms. Landfair served as a math coach for three years, challenging teachers to connect literacy and math instead of treating the subjects as isolated entities. Insistent upon greater collaboration with other educators to advocate for students of color, Ms. Landfair co-facilitated a city-wide town hall, open to all Philadelphia educators, under the Delta Teacher Efficacy Campaign in 2015. 

Throughout her teaching career, Ms. Landfair’s math classes made significant yearly gains. She attributes the success mainly to treating and viewing students as capable. Ms. Landfair is passionate about coaching and has facilitated professional development to middle school math teams on how to make math accessible and engaging for all students. 

Ms. Landfair has been heavily involved with the community, speaking at the School District of Philadelphia’s town hall forums and neighborhood community meetings to advocate for students and parents/guardians in the midst of school closings.

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Assistant Vice President of Community Relations, University of Pennsylvania

What does the Office of Government and Community Affairs at Penn do?

“The Office of Government and Community Affairs advances Penn's mission by managing relationships with government and community leaders, advocating for policies and legislation consistent with the University's goals, and shaping local engagement initiatives.”

What does he do?

“Glenn directs the University's comprehensive community relations program, representing the University in local engagement initiatives, especially those related to public education, healthcare, and economic development. Serving OGCA for nearly 20 years, Glenn has cultivated meaningful relationships with Penn's neighboring civic networks and community-based organizations.”

How does he do it?

Local engagement; relationships

Where can I learn more?

OGCA Website: https://www.upenn.edu/life-at-penn/community