Staff Spotlight Guadalupe Kasper, Initiative Liaison at Penn State Berks, Supports Her Community through Leadership in Local Education

Guadalupe Kasper includes an excerpt from Sonia Sanchez’ “Poem for July 4, 1994” in her email signature. She uses it to guide and inspire her work in education in communities around Reading. “I see so much incredible potential here in Berks County,” she says.

Kasper serves on the faculty at Penn State Berks, where she teaches classes on difficult topics in sociology and education, including Sociology of Race and Ethnic Relations. She also works as liaison for the Initiative’s Eastern Hub.

Kasper combines her expertise in teaching difficult topics and her commitment to local education by connecting the Initiative with school leaders in Berks County and creating professional learning partnerships for educators.

Kasper grew up in Berks County and, because of her experiences as a student, has stayed invested in supporting education in the community. She works closely with area schools as a board member in Wilson School District and program manager of the Penn State Educational Partner Program (PEPP)—a long-term collaboration between Penn State Berks and the Reading School District. PEPP supports Reading students in preparing to pursue higher education and trains undergraduate students from Penn State Berks to serve as tutors and mentors.

“I really see myself as a mentor for others, for students who were like me. I was the first in my family to go to college,” Kasper says. “I am the first Latina on Wilson’s School Board.”

She says she got used to being “first” on several fronts in Berks County. “It’s been an incredibly difficult journey because of what I represent, who I represent,” Kasper says.

As an educator, Kasper has gained confidence in teaching difficult topics over her years of experience. She talks about the importance of having a community of fellow teachers. “I teach really sensitive subject matter,” she says. “I don’t get scared of it anymore. I used to, but now I feel more supported because there are others who teach like I do.”

In 2022-23, Kasper’s role within the Initiative will expand to co-facilitating a yearlong professional learning program for educators at 10^th and Penn Elementary. Participants will form an inquiry community to explore how they can integrate their understanding of the local community and trauma-informed practices in their daily work with students.

Kasper will guide educators as they inquire into difficult topics they are facing in their practice, collect and analyze data, take informed action, and share what they have learned with colleagues. She says she looks forward to building community with participants because she knows how feeling supported can motivate teachers and students to try something new.

What motivates Kasper to keep making her community better is the work she does with her students. “My love for my students—I really enjoy interacting with them and pulling them up if they need support in any way,” she says. “That’s where I do my best.”