Robert P. Bryan, Teach for America alumnus and North Carolina politician.
Many individuals who have made a name for themselves in politics have also distinguished themselves as talented educators. One of these is Robert P. Bryan, a former member of the State House of Representatives from North Carolina. He also served a two-year stint as an elementary teacher for Teach for America.
Rob was born on June 4, 1971, in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina. His mother enjoyed a career as a public school teacher and his father was an engineer. His younger sister is Melissa Bryan Kruger, a published author of renown.
As a teenager, Rob attended Sanderson High School, where he graduated in 1989. Following his high school graduation, he enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. There he earned his Bachelor’s degree in History (1993). While in college, Rob was inducted into the Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society and the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, where he served as an officer. He was also active in student government and served as president of the Inter-varsity Christian Fellowship.
Following his college graduation, Rob accepted a position with the Teach for America program. Through this program, he taught second and third grade at Abbott Elementary School in Lynwood, California. His classroom was bilingual. Rob’s career as an educator lasted only two years, but during that time his students progressed exceptionally well. During the summer between the two years he was teaching, Rob interned at the Center for Education Reform in Washington, DC.
Once he fulfilled his commitment to Teach for America, Rob returned to North Carolina and enrolled at the Duke University School of Law. He graduated with honors from Duke in 1998.
In 2012, Rob was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives on the Republican ticket. He represented Mecklenburg County,District 88, from 2013 to 2017. While in office, the former teacher served as the Chairman of the Education Appropriations Subcommittee. He also served as the Co-Chairman of the Educator Compensation and Effectiveness Task Force. In addition, he chaired a House Judiciary Committee and the House Appropriations Committee, and he served on the Commerce and Job Development Committee.
Currently, Rob serves as a member of the Board of Governors for the University of North Carolina, a post that he has occupied for the past two years. There he serves as the Chairman of the work group for online education. He also serves as the Vice Chairman for Education Planning and Policy.
To lean more about Rob’s work as a North Carolina legislator, consult this link: Ballotpedia.
