Rutgers Alternate Route exists to open doors to anyone who wants to transition into teaching. Many candidates are military veterans who completed the program and are excelling as New Jersey educators. Some, like Rutgers Alternate Route teacher Samantha Morrone, discovered their passion for teaching during service.
While each candidate’s experience is different, they encounter some parallels—especially for those transitioning from the military to a classroom. Rutgers Alternate Route teachers Olivia McDonald, Ashley Carter and Robert Parker went through the program and are now getting hands-on experience in the classroom. They offered some advice to other current or former service members looking to become teachers.