My Brother’s Keeper Scholars

Become a My Brother’s Keeper Teacher Opportunity Corps II Scholar (MBK TOC II)

UB Graduate School of Education believes that concerns related to teacher supply, quality and diversity are interrelated and must be solved together. Our MBK TOC II Scholars are individuals who:

  • Are completing a year-long clinical placement in a partner district
  • Come from underrepresented minoritized and/or economically disadvantaged backgrounds
  • Are committed to cultivating an inclusive, equitable, anti-racist classroom climate where students’ social-emotional and academic needs are met
  • Serve local needs for learner-ready teachers, with particular focus on high-need certification areas

What It Means To Be an MBK TOC Scholar

A commitment to culturally responsive-sustaining education that is demonstrated through:

  • Engagement in professional learning activities organized by the program during my first year teaching, post-graduation
  • Modeling the OEP Core Values of asset-based responsive pedagogies; critically conscious purpose and advocacy; urgency and persistence; reflective ownership; inquiry and adaptability; and joy
  • Modeling the values and principles of the NYS MBK initiative through:
    • Providing guidance to students as they navigate from early childhood, elementary and junior high school to post-secondary education
    • Helping students and self set short-term and long-term goals and encourage achievement of those goals
    • Building a relationship with students and mentor-teacher by planning and participating in activities together
    • Serving as a positive role model who encourages and supports others
    • Being an active listener who demonstrates patience and flexibility
    • Exhibiting a strong commitment to MBK mentoring initiative

Other Requirements

  • Maintain NYS residency (during the residency year)
  • Maintain good academic standing throughout your residency year
  • Participate in a professional learning series on Integrated Social Emotional Learning (five-part series to be completed across the year)
  • Participate in an MBK TOC cohort event in fall and spring
  • Complete all certification requirements before graduation
  • Engage with our residency consortium for at least one year after your graduation (either in-person or virtual)

Benefits

  • $4600 in tuition support (disbursed between 9/1 and 8/30)
  • $2300/semester for fall and spring (can adjust for summer tuition or to disburse all in one semester)
  • Up to $600 to support the cost of certification workshops, exam fees, fingerprinting, and certification costs incurred between 9/1 and 8/30
  • Exam prep books/resources
  • Technology support (if needed)
  • Ongoing support from a professional learning community during your first year as teacher-of-record

Application Process and Deadline

  1. Complete an online application.
  2. Submit your personal statement. As part of your application, you will be required to share your vision of what it means to teach for change. When preparing your statement, address how you plan to cultivate an inclusive, equitable, anti-racist classroom climate where students’ social-emotional and academic needs are met. Submit your statement in one of the following formats:
    • a video (not to exceed 5 min.)
    •  multimodal presentation (not to exceed 5 min.), i.e., slides with voiceover, an artistic creation such as poem or song that is recorded
    • an essay (not to exceed 500 words)
    • an artifact, lesson plan or paper from a class that you previously created that you believe reflects culturally responsive, anti-racist pedagogies

Deadline: Apply by August 22 for the 2025–26 academic year here.

Apply Now