Creating an Educational Pipeline
Creating an educational pipeline
A unique partnership paves the way for Loyolans to inspire the next generation
Story by Anna Briggs Pirila
Photos by Lukas Keapproth
When teacher Donald Schiek was helping create the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) team at Senn High School on Chicago’s North Side, he reached out to Loyola’s School of Education.
“We knew we needed to create culturally relevant learning experiences while making materials accessible and rigorous,” Schiek says. “When the curriculum is relevant to the students’ lived experiences, it encourages them to talk about their own lives.”
The Senn/Loyola partnership proved pivotal.
Loyola’s teaching program is unique in that it places undergraduates into real classrooms as teaching candidates from day one. This is where Schiek, as an undergrad, got his start at Senn.
“It gave me an entrée into the field, which came with practical experience that I could then apply,” says Schiek. “That is why I love the Senn/Loyola partnership, I felt much more confident as a teacher.”
In 2012, the partnership was launched, creating a pipeline for Loyola-educated teachers while welcoming high-achieving high school students eager to continue their education at Loyola.
Now, it is flourishing.
Loyola was instrumental in providing resources to grow Senn’s International Baccalaureate (IB) program, launching a cross-disciplinary arts initiative with SennArts, and creating the digital journalism program with the School of Communications. Roughly 15 Senn graduates enroll at Loyola each fall. Five students are awarded the David Prasse Scholarship, a four-year full tuition award, with a total of 55 scholar recipients to date.
Each year, 16 School of Education (SOE) freshman are placed at Senn to participate in teacher observations along with two to three students who complete their teaching internship. Through a SOE and College of Arts and Science (CAS) Summer Science Internship Program, 12 Senn students participate in a seven-week paid summer experience in a Loyola chemistry, engineering, biology, or psychology lab. With the support of a $300,000 grant from the Teagle Foundation, the SOE and CAS launched a new initiative where 30 Senn students participate in a two-week summer residential session followed by school year programing, which explores the humanities, democracy, and college preparation.
50
Recipients of the Davis Prasse Community Schools Scholarship to date
125
Senn students apply to Loyola each year
20
Senn/Loyola partnerships in place
“The partnership generates opportunities for Loyola faculty, staff, and students to participate actively in the life of the school,” says Jon Schmidt, clinical assistant professor and Senn/Loyola Partnership coordinator. “This strengthens our academic research and insights for practice, while Senn students and teachers enrich our academics, culture, and diversity at Loyola Chicago.”
Senn boasts one of the most diverse and accomplished student bodies in the Chicago Public School system, with IB accreditation, top-notch English as a Second Language (ESL) programs and a robust fine and performing arts program that serves its 1,600 students who represent over 60 languages and cultures.
After many years teaching at Senn, Meagan Zeman (BS ’13) still finds inspiration from her Jesuit education at Loyola and incorporates the Ignatian value of cura personalis, caring for the whole person, into her math classroom at Senn. Faced with students returning to in-person classes after a two-year COVID-19 hiatus, Zeman crafted lessons that emphasize mindfulness and forming good habits to get through the lingering effects of the pandemic.
“Being able to analyze deeply is a beautiful part of math,” says Zeman, “and students can transfer this skill to other areas of their life.”
LOYOLA ALUMNI AT SENN - Senn High School teachers and Loyola School of Education alums: 1) Rachael Lackey (MEd ’13), 2. Michael Cullinane (MC ’17), 3. Meagan Zeman (BS ’13) 4. Donald Schiek (BA ’16, BS ’16, JFRC ’15)
Creating an educational pipeline
A unique partnership paves the way for Loyolans to inspire the next generation
Story by Anna Briggs Pirila
Photos by Lukas Keapproth
When teacher Donald Schiek was helping create the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) team at Senn High School on Chicago’s North Side, he reached out to Loyola’s School of Education.
“We knew we needed to create culturally relevant learning experiences while making materials accessible and rigorous,” Schiek says. “When the curriculum is relevant to the students’ lived experiences, it encourages them to talk about their own lives.”
The Senn/Loyola partnership proved pivotal.
Loyola’s teaching program is unique in that it places undergraduates into real classrooms as teaching candidates from day one. This is where Schiek, as an undergrad, got his start at Senn.
“It gave me an entrée into the field, which came with practical experience that I could then apply,” says Schiek. “That is why I love the Senn/Loyola partnership, I felt much more confident as a teacher.”
In 2012, the partnership was launched, creating a pipeline for Loyola-educated teachers while welcoming high-achieving high school students eager to continue their education at Loyola.
Now, it is flourishing.
Loyola was instrumental in providing resources to grow Senn’s International Baccalaureate (IB) program, launching a cross-disciplinary arts initiative with SennArts, and creating the digital journalism program with the School of Communications. Roughly 15 Senn graduates enroll at Loyola each fall. Five students are awarded the David Prasse Scholarship, a four-year full tuition award, with a total of 55 scholar recipients to date.
Each year, 16 School of Education (SOE) freshman are placed at Senn to participate in teacher observations along with two to three students who complete their teaching internship. Through a SOE and College of Arts and Science (CAS) Summer Science Internship Program, 12 Senn students participate in a seven-week paid summer experience in a Loyola chemistry, engineering, biology, or psychology lab. With the support of a $300,000 grant from the Teagle Foundation, the SOE and CAS launched a new initiative where 30 Senn students participate in a two-week summer residential session followed by school year programing, which explores the humanities, democracy, and college preparation.
“The partnership generates opportunities for Loyola faculty, staff, and students to participate actively in the life of the school,” says Jon Schmidt, clinical assistant professor and Senn/Loyola Partnership coordinator. “This strengthens our academic research and insights for practice, while Senn students and teachers enrich our academics, culture, and diversity at Loyola Chicago.”
Senn boasts one of the most diverse and accomplished student bodies in the Chicago Public School system, with IB accreditation, top-notch English as a Second Language (ESL) programs and a robust fine and performing arts program that serves its 1,600 students who represent over 60 languages and cultures.
After many years teaching at Senn, Meagan Zeman (BS ’13) still finds inspiration from her Jesuit education at Loyola and incorporates the Ignatian value of cura personalis, caring for the whole person, into her math classroom at Senn. Faced with students returning to in-person classes after a two-year COVID-19 hiatus, Zeman crafted lessons that emphasize mindfulness and forming good habits to get through the lingering effects of the pandemic.
“Being able to analyze deeply is a beautiful part of math,” says Zeman, “and students can transfer this skill to other areas of their life.”