The 2020 Gevirtz Endowment Fellows (l-r): Claudia Serrano Arambula, Gerardo Arroyo, and Amanda Barrett (photo taken in Janaury 2020 at Fellowship Breakfast)
Gerardo Arroyo, Amanda Barrett, and Claudia Serrano Arambula of UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School have been chosen as the 2019-20 Gevirtz Endowment Fellowship recipients. Gevirtz Fellowships are awarded from an endowment fund dedicated to supporting GGSE programs, activities, and students who have demonstrated financial need and show academic promise and leadership that will positively impact public education. Students from all areas of the Gevirtz School are eligible. The fellowship is made possible by the generosity and legacy of Don and Marilyn Gevirtz.
Gerardo Arroyo is a graduate student working to earn his master’s degree in education as well as a Multiple Subject Credential at UCSB’s Teacher Education Program. Gerardo earned his B.A. in Philosophy from CSU Dominguez Hills. He also earned a M.A. in Philosophy from Long Beach State. Gerardo hopes to obtain a bilingual authorization in Spanish. He would like to teach in a dual language classroom.
Amanda Barrett is pursuing a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and a master’s degree in education in the Teacher Education Program. She completed her B.A. in History with a focus on Native American History at the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2012. She previously worked in special education in the Goleta Union School District. Barrett’s current interests are exploring how people learn and inclusivity in the classroom. Her desire to foster an inclusive learning environment extends beyond a strict focus on special education. She would also like to create a strong classroom community that embraces people from varying backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, sexualities, and more.
Claudia Serrano Arambula is pursuing a master’s degree in education as well as a Single Subject Teaching Credential in History. Previously, she attended the University of California, Davis, where she earned her B.A. in History and Spanish as well as a minor in Education. Through her studies as well as her experience working with students in both Yolo county and Los Angeles county she was inspired to become an educator. Her interests include making the study of history more accessible, particularly to Migrant Students and English Language Learners in a secondary school setting. She hopes to instill a greater sense of community empowerment, and an understanding of intersectionality and social justice.