I want to positively impact the lives of our youth and help increase minority retention rates in higher education programs.”
Maurice’s Story
Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Maurice Telesford received a BSE in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan. Maurice’s family has always encouraged him to do well academically. His grandmother was a teacher, his mother is a doctor and his father made prosthetics. It was always Maurice’s dream to combine his parents’ two professions and invent the first implantable artificial liver.
Maurice was on track to pursue a career in engineering that fed his growing interest in math and sciences. However, three semesters into his undergraduate career, he learned that underrepresented minority engineering students completed their degrees at a substantially lower rate than other students. “Seeking solutions for this problem became a passion and sent me along a path which led me to become a high school teacher.”
Maurice has been a high school science teacher for 12 years. He has taught chemistry, physics and computer science. Maurice has also served as the president for his district’s teacher union for the last seven years. In that role, he sets the direction and vision for his local union, oversees the plan to achieve that vision, serves as the chief negotiator in bargaining their contract and works hand-in-hand with the district administration to creatively address labor-management issues and concerns that arise throughout the year.