Jermaine Wallace

To say that Jermaine Lee Wallace is a busy man is an understatement. “I teach math year round, coach baseball, basketball and football, and am raising twin boys and a young lady with my lovely wife,” says Wallace.

As much as he loves teaching at his alma mater, Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Wallace began thinking about a future in school administration, which led him to Towson University’s master’s in Human Resource Development/Educational Leadership Track.

“Rather than trying to make it to campus two or three times a week, I could finish my degree online as a part-time student,” says Wallace. “Towson allowed me to take time off to deal with family issues and come back a few years later to finish the program.”

“ My heart and my passion are in mentoring students. ”

At Poly, Wallace pushes students to reach their full potential through the Lifting as We Climb lunch group that he created as a way to mentor students outside the classroom.

“If they have a bad morning with mom or dad, are having a hard time with a boyfriend or girlfriend, or are worried about the college recruitment process, we can talk about it in Lifting as We Climb,” says Wallace. “I came from the same streets as my students. I remind them that where we come from does not define who we will become.”

Wallace believes educators and coaches must focus on developing the whole student: emotionally, physically and academically. “My heart and my passion are in mentoring students,” he says. “I am a mathematician, but I love interacting with students.”

Looking ahead, Wallace can see himself as an assistant principal or dean of discipline. “Right now, I don’t see myself as a principal spending so much time out of classroom and out of the building. I need to be hands-on as part of the community environment.”

“I have a gift and can help students in Baltimore City,” adds Wallace. “As long as I can, I want to give back.”