Urban Scholar Stephanie Aberger

Stephanie Aberger admits that she saved Assistant Dean for Master's Studies Jennifer Petrallia's voicemail letting her know she was an Urban Scholar. For Aberger, who has long been involved in Teach For America, there was no other choice than coming to the the Ed School. "HGSE integrates research with policy and practice," she says. "I wanted the opportunity to learn from the field's preeminent scholars, yet remain grounded in the real work of schools and districts."

Why did you choose a career in education?
My path to urban schools has been far from linear. My interest in social justice, first sparked through tutoring, served as the catalyst for my undergraduate immersion in Holocaust history. Motivated to pursue original research, I lived in Poland and committed myself to archival study. My efforts resulted in an honor's thesis and a Fulbright Scholar research grant to Poland in 2005. However, after much reflection, I declined the Fulbright to join Teach For America. Teaching in an inner city school was an opportunity to integrate myself in the movement toward social equity but also, I believe, a better use of my skills. Now, with four years of classroom experience, there has never been a day where I regretted my decision to change directions. I am committed to a lifelong career in education policy because I believe that education is the foundation from which to build a more just world.

What does it mean to you to be an Urban Scholar?
I feel honored to be in the company of my colleagues as their résumés and backgrounds are both impressive and diverse. I could not be more grateful for the opportunity to engage in discussion with individuals as committed to the improvement of urban schools as myself.

What are your thoughts on teaching in an urban school today?
Teaching in an urban school is the most rewarding work I have known. My school experiences provided with me the opportunity to attempt to put into practice everything I believed about the pursuit of a more just world. While it is easy to speak of peace building and social commitment in the abstract, attempting to foster community in the classroom is both more challenging and more rewarding. I am humbled by the opportunities I have had to work with incredible children and dedicated teachers.

What do you plan to do after HGSE?
I used to think I wanted to move to D.C. and become a policy advisor. While I still respect this position, my time at HGSE has shown me that there are powerful levers to change that exist in district and state level positions. To this ends I am interested in pursuing a career working for a district or state committed to education reform.