Meet Isela Villanueva – EnCorps Program Alum
This Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate Isela Villanueva, a passionate educator and advocate for equity in STEM education. Currently a Teaching Resident at Scholarship Prep in Santa Ana, Isela teaches 5th grade math while pursuing her Single Subject Teaching Credential through the Marshall Teacher Residency program.
Growing up in El Monte, California as the youngest of three children of Mexican immigrants, Isela witnessed firsthand the power of educational opportunities. She earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and an MS in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley, and spent a decade working as an engineer in the aerospace industry. While space may have been awe-inspiring, her true passion has always been education and community impact.
For the past 14 years, Isela has dedicated herself to raising her three children while serving her community as a coach, tutor, and mentor. When COVID-19 highlighted inequities in education, she felt a call to action. Through EnCorps, Isela found a program that allowed her to step into the classroom, mentor students, and receive guidance while pursuing her credential.
As a Latina who loves math, Isela hopes to inspire her students to connect learning to the real world and to explore STEM fields with confidence. She envisions a future where students make their own contributions to the world through science, technology, engineering, and math.
EnCorps is proud to support educators like Isela, whose dedication and vision are shaping the next generation of leaders. Interested in learning more about teaching?
Contact us at https://encorps.org/teach/apply/.