Ohio Wesleyan Graduate Honored by White House
Alison Drake (Photo courtesy of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching Recognition Program)
DELAWARE, OHIO – Alison Drake, a 2003 Ohio Wesleyan University graduate, is being recognized with a 2011 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching – the nation’s highest honor for teachers in the two fields.
“Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education,” according to the recognition program, which has honored more than 4,100 U.S. teachers for their contributions in the classroom and to their profession since 1983.
A total of 97 teachers were honored with the 2011 Presidential Award, and they will be recognized at ceremonies June 27-29 in Washington, D.C., where they also will participate in professional development sessions and meet with education policy-makers.
Drake, who majored in German and international studies at Ohio Wesleyan, is the eighth-grade Algebra 1 teacher at KIPP Believe College Prep in New Orleans. She graduated summa cum laude from Ohio Wesleyan and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She served with Teach for America in 2003 and earned her teacher certification from Eastern Carolina University.
Of her recognition, Drake told program organizers: “The Presidential Award is recognition of the hard work of my amazing students, who inspire me to improve every day with their thirst for knowledge. Math is a subject which is an equalizer for my students, as I teach them that access to advanced math is a civil rights issue. It is an honor to be recognized for doing what I love, providing my students a chance at changing their lives and the world around them.”
An Ohio Wesleyan legacy student, Drake is the daughter of Sandi Aker Drake ’75 and Timothy Drake ’74 of Columbus. Read more about Alison Drake and her accomplishments here.
Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation’s premier small, private universities, with more than 90 undergraduate majors, sequences, and courses of study, and 23 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Located in Delaware, Ohio, just minutes north of Ohio’s capital and largest city, Columbus, the university combines a globally focused curriculum with off-campus learning and leadership opportunities that translate classroom theory into real-world practice. OWU’s close-knit community of 1,850 students represents 47 states and 57 countries. Ohio Wesleyan was named to the 2012 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with distinction, is featured in the book “Colleges That Change Lives,” and is included on the “best colleges” lists of U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review. Learn more at www.owu.edu.