My Story/college

My Story - Rachel Bossingham

Rachel is graduating from Illinois State University and just recently became a Teach for America Corps Member

My story begins with an advertisement for the Pay It Forward Tour in a classroom at Illinois State University. It was 2008 and I had recently transferred to ISU. I was looking to get involved and to meet new people, and when I saw the words “Looking to meet awesome new people while serving the country?” written on the chalkboard in front of me, I thought someone was playing a sick joke on me. I decided it would be crazy if I didn’t check out what this Pay It Forward Tour was about. I went to an informational meeting that night, and decided right then and there I HAVE to do this.

I can’t tell you how much that decision impacted my life. I truly believe that because of my first Pay It Forward Tour experience, which led to greater involvement with STLF throughout my college years, I am achieving my dreams and goals.

With that being said, I received the offer to join Teach For America in Memphis, Tennessee last week. I was absolutely elated! I am very passionate about decreasing the achievement gap that is ever-present in our nation. I will join this movement with the goal of pushing my students to reach their full potential and help them to understand the tremendous value that education has on their lives. I do not think I would have the perspective that I do currently about issues such as education, service, and love for human kind, if STLF was not present in my life.

STLF showed me what it means to have compassion for people and what serving others really means. Sometimes that meant singing to the elderly at a nursing home; helping a forest preserve survive; rebuilding and cleaning a home for a woman that had an unimaginable and unlivable life; mentoring students from the south side of Chicago and encouraging their leadership abilities, or the countless talks with people so inspirational that you want to become a better person. All of these examples and so much more are the reasons why I decided I can be the change. That I can take what I learned from these experiences and make an intangible difference. This is why I am a Corps Member of Teach For America.

STLF encouraged me to be a leader. It has allowed me to discover my strengths and use them to better our society. This organization has brought me life-long relationships that shape who I am. I’m so thankful for STLF. I don’t know where I would be today without this experience.

Thank you STLF for the impact you’ve had on my life. I can only hope to have a similar impact on my future students because I know the results are truly life-changing.

- Support STLF by Making a Donation Online!

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