Teachers College supporters and friends recently convened to celebrate the 2024 cohort of Abby M. O’Neill Teaching Fellows, who embarked on their studies this fall with a commitment to teach in New York City public schools for at least two years. Part of the College’s larger effort to provide well-prepared educators to America’s largest and most diverse school system, the special cohort will receive tuition assistance toward their preparation to help their future students.
Established by a generous gift from the late Trustee Emerita Abby M. O’Neill in 2013, the O’Neill Teaching Fellowship has supported the success of more than 80 scholars studying at TC.
“We're so grateful to the O'Neill family for keeping Abby's legacy alive through their continued support for this fellowship program. It is a critical factor in enabling aspiring teachers to get their education at TC and also to work in New York City public schools,” said President Thomas Bailey at the celebration for O’Neill Fellows hosted on Oct. 18. “I trust we're fulfilling Abby's dream to make TC more affordable and accessible to New York teachers, so that they can provide the best education for the city's children.”
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Nina Svirsky Bruckenthal (M.A. ’22) shares advice with the 2024 class of O'Neill Fellows.
Cathy O'Neill Broderick meets O'Neill Fellows during the reception.
President Thomas Bailey addresses guests gathered in honor of the Abby M. O’Neill Teaching Fellows.
Peter M. O'Neill (third from left) with Teachers College staff and O'Neill Fellows.
Board Chair Emeritus William Dodge Rueckert chats with O'Neill Fellows.
Former O'Neill Fellow Ralph Acevedo (M.A. ’24) and Aimee Katembo, Director of TC’s Office of Teacher Education.
Former fellow Bethany Freynk (M.A. ’21) and current O'Neill Fellow Andrea Perla.
Cathy O'Neill Broderick and current O'Neill Fellow Keyorra Santiago.
After Abby O’Neill’s passing, her children — have continued their family’s profound support for educators at Teachers College.
“My mother strongly believed in education and how important it was,” Catharine O’Neill Broderick told fellows at the celebration. “She would be very proud of you and continuously cheering you on to take the tough road sometimes, but to really, really set that bar and go for it for the kids and for yourselves.”
This fellowship has been such a blessing and gift for me, because it is an opportunity to become an educator and, at the same time, gain the resources to learn in this influential and reputable environment.
Here’s how five of this year’s O’Neill Fellows plan to make a difference in NYC schools.
How Ivan Will Make a Difference:
The son of immigrants, Ivan looks forward to supporting New York City’s diverse population of students as he fulfills his dream of becoming a teacher. “I want to use my skills to help students realize that the limits to what they can achieve are boundless,” says Ivan, whose mother is also an educator. “I hope to one day guide my students through the study of history and appreciate their own culture, helping students see themselves as having an indispensable place in our nation and our world’s future.”
How Zeinab Will Make a Difference:
“As a future educator, I aim to lay the groundwork for understanding other cultures in my classroom and guide the next generation toward mutual understanding, respect, and empathy; to plant seeds of radical hope and the possibility of what can be,” says Zeinab, whose appreciation for multiculturalism was shaped by her childhood in Brooklyn. “As a current Abby M. O’Neill Fellow, I’m excited for the opportunity to connect with a collaborative group of students from around the world who bring unique perspectives and life experiences.”
How Youmee Will Make a Difference:
As a person who is deaf herself, Youmee often found herself contending with the low expectations others had of her in school until her third-grade teacher changed everything. Now, Youmee strives to also offer students life-changing experiences through the transformative power of art. “Through the Deaf Education program, I am building educational foundations and applying them to my creative teaching practice in deaf schools,” says Youmee, who served as a teaching artist-in-residence at a deaf school in New York. “After I graduate, I hope to transform the Deaf Education field and advocate for deaf students’ language development and access.”
How Asminda Will Make a Difference:
A former human rights lawyer from Mexico, Asminda plans to develop culturally-inclusive curricula in addition to making an impact in the classroom. “I hope that such curricula can strengthen students’ sense of pride and combat the erasure of their culture, while developing children’s intuitive understanding of the basic principles of universal human rights,” says Asminda, who is also a member of the College’s Teacher Opportunity Corps. “I am already incredibly inspired by the faculty in the Bilingual/Bicultural program, particularly by their commitment to making bilingual education a means to advance in equity.”
How Shreya Will Make a Difference:
Striving to fill a critical need in classrooms, Shreya discovered the rewarding impact of supporting students with special needs while completing her undergraduate classroom observations. “I didn’t realize that one-on-one time with students could create such big smiles. It struck my heart that they really need a true educator, someone who can just get them to the place where they can continue to grow,” says Shreya, who admires the practitioners who have come before her and championed a more inclusive, healthy environment for students with disabilities. “It's slowly but surely progressing, and I want to be part of that.”