Based at Phillips Academy in Andover, MA, the purpose of the Institute for Recruitment of Teachers (IRT) is to increase the number of minority students pursuing advanced degrees in the areas of education and liberal arts. This program competitively selects outstanding juniors who are African Americans, Hispanics or Native Americans to attend an eight-week summer workshop designed to improve writing, analytic, and creative thinking skills. Purdue University belongs to a consortium of universities in support of IRT. The Graduate School waives the application fee for participants in this program but provides no other special support mechanism. Both the schools of Education and Liberal Arts have special support for participants of this program.
Since its founding in 1990, the IRT has seen every student they have sponsored be accepted into at least one university, and most have been accepted into four or more. Nearly all IRT students (92%) have received full tuition waivers and partial-to-full fellowship funding for up to six years of graduate study. Almost 45% of IRT students end up teaching and counseling in secondary schools while the remaining students enroll in masters and doctoral programs and go on to teach in colleges and universities.
In accordance with Purdue policies, all persons have equal access to Purdue University's educational programs, services and activities, without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, disability or status as a disabled or status as a veteran. For a more complete statement of Purdue's policies of equal access and equal opportunity, CLICK HERE. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these policies, please contact the Office of the Vice President for Human Relations at vphr@purdue.edu or 765-494-5830.
