Finding Her Voice: How Donor Support Helped Anoukha Metangmo ’27 Answer Her Calling to Teach

Standing in front of a classroom full of kindergarten students for the first time, Anoukha Metangmo ’27 (Early Childhood Education) felt her heart race as observers watched her every move. “It was intimidating,” said Metangmo. “I was nervous the first time.”

For Metangmo, teaching was never a career choice; it was a calling. “I’ve known since fourth grade that I wanted to be a teacher,” she said. “I love kids and being around them. I want to be the type of teacher my fifth-grade teacher was for me because she’s the one who inspired me.”

This summer, that dream became a reality through an internship with the Center for Urban Teaching, a Christian nonprofit organization in Milwaukee that prepares high-performing educators.

During the first two weeks, she joined hundreds of fellow interns in a gymnasium as they received training that equipped them with the tools to command a classroom. She then put those skills to the test, teaching English Language Arts to kindergarteners. 

Her day-to-day was filled with lesson plans, spiritual readings, dances and chants, as well as observations and review sessions with experienced educators. “They always told us to teach as if every lesson was an interview,” she said. 

While internships provide valuable career experience, financial obstacles can often make them unattainable. “Unfortunately, a lot of internships are unpaid,” said Carolyn Golz, vice president for student affairs and student success. “We have a number of students who just can’t afford to give free labor. They need to spend their time working.”

Luckily, Metangmo was a recipient of the Cartwright Family Vocation Exploration Internship Stipend, one of the many UIndy scholarship opportunities, this one made possible by Dr. Michael G. Cartwright, a longtime faculty member who taught at UIndy for 27 years. 

“The intention is to give students an opportunity to explore, knowing that they have financial constraints and time constraints,” said Cartwright. “Without those kinds of incentives, they are not likely to explore.”

Cartwright served as chair of UIndy’s Philosophy and Religion Department and helped create the Lantz Center for Christian Vocations, which helped shape the stipend’s faith-based focus. “The sense of Christian calling, the notion that God calls people into lives of service, is part of the background of it,” said Cartwright. 

Metangmo wasn’t even aware of the stipend initially but her involvement with the chapel made her a natural fit. Rev. Arionne Lynch, University Chaplain and Director of the Lantz Center, presented the scholarship opportunity to her, and before she knew it, she received the stipend. “It was emotional because I was grateful that someone thought about me,” she said. “I was thankful for the opportunity and for the financial support. It really helped.”

“I don’t think she realized how widely recognized she was,” said Golz. “It was surprising for her. It helps with that sense of belonging that people know who you are, what you are doing, and want to recognize that.”

Without the financial burden, Metangmo was able to focus solely on becoming the best teacher she could be. She said the most valuable lesson she learned was the importance of building relationships with her students. “They need to know that you care about them outside of academics,” she said. “Ask questions about their lives. You’re with them all year, so it’s important to really get to know them.” 

The hands-on experience has given Metangmo a leg up as she starts student teaching this year. She even plans on returning to the Center for Urban Teaching next summer, as she grows into the teacher she’s dreamed of being since fourth grade.  

“Student success is part of why we’re here, and this is a prime example of a student being successful,” said Golz. “I think it’s important to know that there are lots of Anoukhas out there. How can we do for other students what we’ve done for Anoukha? We rely on donors to make that possible. So we’re appreciative of every gift that we receive.”

The support gave Metangmo more than just financial assistance; it allowed her to explore her passion and grow, fulfilling the very purpose for which the stipend was created.

Now, when she stands in front of a classroom, Metangmo is no longer intimidated. Her internship gave her confidence and helped her find her “teacher voice.”