Jessica Sanders

Jessica Sanders, high school English teacher, earned a BA in Russian Literature from Reed College in Portland, Oregon, and an MA and PhD in Slavic Languages and Literatures from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, writing her dissertation on the intersections of politics, revolution, and religious imagery in 18th and 19th century Russian poetry. During her time at USC, she taught undergraduate courses in writing and composition as well as assisting in teaching classes on Slavic thought and civilization. After completing her graduate studies, she began teaching high school in Aurora, Colorado, before moving on to teach 12th grade English and AP Literature and composition at KIPP Pride High School in Gaston, North Carolina, for seven years. While at KIPP, she served as the faculty advisor for the Performance Poetry Club and as content lead for the English department.

Why I Teach At Siena: I believe the calling of a educator is to support students in learning how they learn and grow best, and my greatest joy in life is sharing and discovering new ways of seeing humanity through the unique perspectives of my students.