Education News & Comment: "Here are excerpts from an interview with Jonathan Raymond by editorial writer Pia Lopez.
Non-traditional background
As a child, I learned the power of a teacher. At the Commonwealth Corp., I learned the power of innovation and partnerships. As a nonprofit, we were set up to develop partnerships, to create innovative programs for education and work force training. Our mission was to work with at-risk and vulnerable youth. We developed programs like 'Diploma Plus' for kids who had dropped out or were at risk of dropping out. It gets them on a track not only to get their high school diploma but to matriculate to higher education. It was a very successful program … in urban, high-poverty, high-minority areas. That work was where I gravitated. It became clear to me that that's where I wanted to do more.
I heard about the Broad program as I started to think about what I wanted to do next after seven years at the Commonwealth Corp. I took a chance and got my application in and was accepted with the cohort of 2006. Off I went.
Having an impact on children is what I want to do with my life."
Non-traditional background
As a child, I learned the power of a teacher. At the Commonwealth Corp., I learned the power of innovation and partnerships. As a nonprofit, we were set up to develop partnerships, to create innovative programs for education and work force training. Our mission was to work with at-risk and vulnerable youth. We developed programs like 'Diploma Plus' for kids who had dropped out or were at risk of dropping out. It gets them on a track not only to get their high school diploma but to matriculate to higher education. It was a very successful program … in urban, high-poverty, high-minority areas. That work was where I gravitated. It became clear to me that that's where I wanted to do more.
I heard about the Broad program as I started to think about what I wanted to do next after seven years at the Commonwealth Corp. I took a chance and got my application in and was accepted with the cohort of 2006. Off I went.
Having an impact on children is what I want to do with my life."