Devon Weber

Sometimes you don’t realize the impact a school has made on your life until you return. When Devon Weber left Milwaukee College Prep to pursue graphic design in college, he never imagined he would return to his alma mater to teach.

Devon struggled to find his passion for graphic design and decided to reach out to one of his former MCP teachers. “She just reminded me of the love and excitement I had when I was a student there,” he recalls. He began volunteering at MCP, and suddenly his true calling became clear.

After attaining an associate degree from MATC, Devon became an educational assistant at MCP. Through MCP he was able to enroll in a special teacher program at Concordia University, where he received his bachelor’s degree – the first in his family to do so.

The very next day, Devon was teaching in his own classroom at MCP. “It’s really a special connection that I have with my scholars,” as Devon calls his students. “I know what it feels like to be a scholar at MCP, and look where you can go. You can even go beyond where I’m going.”

Devon sees his purpose as so much more than teaching. “It’s to love on them, and to show them in every aspect of your life that you matter. And so I like to think I make an impact, because I know that all of my scholars know they are loved at the end of the day.”

Living in the community where he teaches also helps Devon connect with his students. “It’s another way for them to understand that I’m a real person,” he says. “And I think that builds another layer of trust.”

For those considering a career in teaching despite the challenges, Devon emphasizes the importance of teachers. “You’re forming the minds of doctors, lawyers, scientists,” he says. “You have to go with your heart and go into it for the right reasons. And that’s for the love of the scholars.”