Meet the fellows
Samantha Skeens graduated from Ohio University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. She is pursuing her Masters in Education in AYA Mathematics because she absolutely loves math and working with people. When she was younger she would ask her siblings to play school, so she could be the teacher. She explains that school was her happy place when growing up, and she hopes to create the same kind of environment for her own students. Also Samantha was a part of the Ohio University Marching 110 for four years, and she misses it everyday.
Kouree Chesser graduated from Ohio University in 2018 with her Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. Through peer tutoring, working with others to gain further understanding of math, science, and engineering concepts, and her own education experiences, she realized that her true calling was to be an educator. As a teacher, she wants to help prepare future generations to reach their maximum potential not only through science and education, but also provide resources and mentorship that set them up for future success in their everyday lives. She also feels a passion to stay in the Appalachia area to provide this guidance and support in communities that are impoverished and in schools where resources may be minimal. She feels that working in a community close to home would be fulfilling and knows that she can have a positive impact in students' lives. She has been very fortunate to have great mentors who have made a significant impact in her life, and many of them were educators. A fun fact about Kouree is that she loves to travel. She loves going to new places, especially those that offer a serene and scenic environment. When she travels, she prefers camping over the standard hotel setting to maximize her time in the outdoors. Starting in the Fall of 2020, Kouree will be a science teacher for grade 7 science, grade 9 physical science and grades 11-12 grade chemistry at Belpre High School in Southeast Ohio.
Akua graduated from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science and then taught middle school. She came to Ohio University in 2017 to pursue my Master’s in Mathematics. Upon graduation, she realized how much she enjoyed and missed working with children and teenagers and thus made plans to circle back to her passion, teaching. She plans to teach high school mathematics and hopefully apply these learned skills in high schools back in Ghana as well. She is most excited to teach math because it is such a great way to be a substantial influence in the lives of children and teens through teaching.
Matt graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelor of Science in Geology. After graduating he worked as a geologist. He graduated from the RALLY for STEM program in the summer of 2020 and will be a physical science teacher for grades 9-12 and geoscience for grades 10-12 teacher at Del Sol Academy of the Performing Arts in Nevada.
Laura graduated from Ohio University in 2013 with my Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics and in 2015 with a Master’s in Applied Linguistics. After graduating, she spent three years serving as a zero waste and environmental educator in AmeriCorps with the local nonprofit Rural Action. She graduated from the RALLY for STEM program in the summer of 2020 with a certification in middle childhood science and English language arts. She hopes to teach middle school science in Ohio.
Erica earned a Bachelors of Science in Food Science from Cornell University in 2015. Since graduating, she served two years as a City Year AmeriCorps Member at Mifflin High School in Columbus Ohio, and has worked as a Public Health Sanitarian with the City of Columbus for the past three years. She is working towards a certification and in Adolescent-to-Young Adult Integrated Science. During her time as an undergraduate, she was briefly a trained milk taster in a sensory evaluation study!
Eleanor Morrison is from Hilliard, Ohio. She graduated from Ohio University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Chemistry. During her undergraduate years, she worked as an intern for the Columbus Division of Police Forensic Services Bureau and the Athens Police Department. In the spring, she started tutoring high school level chemistry and discovered that she enjoys teaching a lot. Because of this, she has decided to pursue licensure in Adolescent-to-Young Adult Integrated Science.
Connor graduated from Ohio University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Economics and a minor in Finance. After graduating, he worked in the housing industry for four years. Originally from Pomeroy, Ohio, Connor enjoys spending time with his family and playing basketball. He is currently working toward a Master's in Education for Adolescent-to-Young Adult Integrated Mathematics.
Austin graduated from California State University, Chico in 2019 with his Bachelor of Science in Physics. He spent much of his final 2 years there working as a TA in various lower division physics labs and the past year working as a technician in a neurophysiology lab at Ohio University. He is currently working toward certification for Adolescent-to-Young Adult Integrated Science.
In 2018, Zak biked 300 miles from his hometown of Lakewood, Ohio (near Cleveland) to Athens, Ohio in three days to begin his junior year. Two years later, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a minor in Mathematics. Zak also performed with Ohio University’s marching band, the Marching 110, as a 4-year member and Dance Commander. His experience choreographing and teaching the halftime dance charts for the band helped him recognize his desire to become a teacher. He is now working towards completing a Master's in Adolescent-to-Young Adult Education and Licensure in Integrated Mathematics as part of the Noyce Teaching Fellowship at Ohio University.
Cassandra graduated from Ohio University this past May with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. She will be starting a part time job at her local church and will be getting married the summer of 2020. She is studying towards her Master's of Education for Integrated Science for Adolescent-to-Young Adult.
Shehzad graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Philosophy from Boise State University, in 2014 with a Masters in Science in Mathematics, and in 2019 with a PhD in Mathematics from Ohio University. During his time at Boise State University and Ohio University, Shehzad taught several introductory math courses where he developed a passion for teaching and learning more about education to better himself as a teacher. Shehzad is currently working towards his certification in Adolescent-to-Young Adult Integrated Mathematics.
