University students are showing an increased interest in Teach For America, said Michael Tipton, executive director of the South Louisiana program and University alumni.Ninety-eight University students applied for the program, a 20 percent increase from last year.National interest also increased by 30 percent, Tipton said.”This year we have the largest number of applications across the country,” said Laura Vinsant, Teach For America Gulf Coast recruitment director.Twenty-one University students have been accepted into the program, making the University’s acceptance rate higher than average, Tipton said. He said he thinks interest in the program is growing because of increased awareness on campuses and alumni recruiting efforts.Corps members participating in Teach For America spend two years teaching at a public school in a low-income community.”Many people assume it is only a teaching position, but that is only part of what we do,” Tipton said. “We hope the experience will shape and direct what members do next. We’ve had members go on to become lawyers who advocate for education rights or doctors who work in low-income areas.”Corps members receive a full salary and benefits and often defer acceptance into law or medical school to work for the program, Vinsant said.Vinsant is a University alumna and developed an interest in the program when she tutored an illiterate Baton Rouge second grader.”There are often low expectations from low-income areas, and that under-serves students,” Vinsant said. “If you set higher expectations, students can absolutely perform at higher levels.”Teach For America was founded in 1990 with six locations across the country. Baton Rouge and New Orleans were two of the original cities.”A sizable portion of Teach For America’s early history has been here and involved with LSU for 20 years,” Tipton said.Vinsant said students interested in joining can visit www.teachforamerica.org or attend information sessions on campus in the fall.—-Contact Grace Montgomery at [email protected]