Ethan Young, Berkeley College alum and former EDST Scholar, is originally from Knoxville, Tennessee but currently finds himself in Nashville! Reflecting on the EDST motto, Ethan detailed his postgraduate experiences to have spanned research,—earning a master’s degree in educational research from Cambridge—policy,—analyzing and presenting grant proposals for NYC-based education reform organization, Robertson Foundation—and practice—working directly with students amidst the stresses of in-person learning at Montgomery Bell Academy. Throughout these experiences, Ethan has made some cross-disciplinary observations that can be traced to earlier perspectives and thoughts he’s had since high school and throughout the EDST program. “We need to pay teachers more–a lot more,” Ethan writes, “It’s hard to overvalue high-quality leadership in education.”
Ethan attributes the EDST program with providing him a flexible foundation from which to pursue each of the jobs he has held so far. While writing his master’s dissertation, Ethan drew upon his capstone bibliography and the research he initiated as a scholar to dig deeper into theories of assessment. When evaluating nonprofits and schools at the Foundation, he was brought back to Ed Studies classes that touched on dominant themes in that sector: school choice, housing/zoning segregation, and college admissions. As a novice teacher, Ethan has had the privilege of trying to corral all of the experiences and knowledge he gained during the program to inform the time he spends with and for his students. Ethan’s favorite EDST course during his time at Yale was Professor Hersh’s Contemporary Challenges to Liberal Education. His favorite memories as a scholar were during the humbling and gratifying experiences of senior capstone seminar discussions, where Ethan was able to grasp the full depth and breadth of work being pursued by the other scholars.
For the immediate future, Ethan is committed to improving the learning outcomes of his students and athletes during such a chaotic school year. He also aspires to attend Law School during the fall of 2021, citing conversations with EDST professors as the motivation behind this decision! Ethan advises current scholars to make time to meet other folks in their cohort and to learn about their interests in education and beyond. Best of luck with your future endeavors, Ethan!