By Ari Massefski
As a kindergarten teacher, Wendy Uptain, M.P.A. ’11, could see changes each day in her young students.
What she couldn’t see were broader policy changes in the system governing the public schools where she taught in Virginia and Utah that are vital to improving education in the U.S.
“There were so many fellow teachers coming to me and talking about problems for which they didn’t have an outlet to change,” said Ms. Uptain, a native of Spokane, Wash.
So Ms. Uptain came to Washington, D.C., to see if she could effect change more broadly than she could in the classroom. She earned a Master of Public Administration with a focus on education policy at the George Washington University. While at GW, she interned with the U.S. Department of Education, working for Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana, the assistant secretary for secondary and elementary education.
“I came to D.C. because I wanted to help teachers find their voice in the policy world,” Ms. Uptain said.
And she thought GW would be the place to do that.
“I knew coming to GW would put me in a position where I would be surrounded by policymakers, and I would learn to think like they do,” Ms. Uptain said.
While pursuing her master’s, Ms. Uptain also interned at Hope Street Group, a national nonprofit organization that aims to expand economic opportunity for Americans by bringing new voices and innovative thinking to education, job creation and health care. That internship eventually led to a full-time position, which she has today. As a member of Hope Street Group’s education team, Ms. Uptain’s goal is to connect state policymakers with classroom teachers to build and implement effective teacher evaluations.
Earlier this year, her dream of being surrounded by policymakers came true when she was one of 13 U.S. educators named a White House Champion of Change by the Obama administration, a program that recognizes citizens who are making a difference in their communities and helping the country rise to meet the many challenges of the 21st century. The White House described Ms. Uptain as an educator who “understands the intersection between practice and policy,” and invited her to the White House to participate in a dialogue with top-level officials about education and needed policy changes.
She met with Peter Cunningham, assistant secretary for communication and outreach at the U.S. Department of Education, and Roberto Rodriguez, special assistant to President Barack Obama for education. Ms. Uptain was impressed with their receptiveness to her suggestions, which included advocating for quality early childhood education.
“They weren’t just listening,” said Ms. Uptain. “They were actually taking our suggestions to heart. To me, that was proof that the administration cares about teachers and wants their input.”
Lori Brainard, associate professor of public policy and public administration and director of GW’s Public Administration Program, commended the White House on an excellent choice.
“We were so happy to hear that Wendy has been named a Champion of Change,” said Dr. Brainard. “We are not surprised, given her intelligence, integrity, drive and passion — especially for public service and education. Though we are pleased for Wendy, of course, the real winners are the administration and the larger public, who will now have the opportunity to hear her ideas and be energized by her passion.”
Ms. Uptain said she believes education is the key to a person’s success in life.
“I feel like education is a huge factor,” she said. “It contributes to a person’s economic well-being, and it’s the key to a better life. If there was one thing I could instill in every person, it would be to recognize the importance of getting a good education.”
And in the past few months, she has put her beliefs into practice at Hope Street Group. The nonprofit organization is committed to creating a nation where anyone who works hard has the chance to succeed.
Last May, Ms. Uptain started the Teacher Fellowship Program at Hope Street Group, in which she and her colleagues selected 13 teachers from around the country and are helping them engage with policymakers to advocate for education policy changes. The Teacher Fellows have attended national education conferences like NBC’s Education Nation Summit in New York.
But once the fellowship program gets off the ground and is running smoothly, Ms. Uptain plans to return to the classroom.
“I really miss working with kids,” she said. “Working with policy is an intellectual challenge, but being in the classroom is so much different. Every year, you’re getting different students with different challenges that you have to work out. Watching them grow throughout that year is, to me, extremely rewarding.”