Andrea (Andy) Browning is many things, a southside Chicago native from the Beverly neighborhood, a single mother, and most recently, an incoming Resident of the 2025 Chicago Teacher Residency cohort.
“How did I get here? It just took me to recognize my true calling and then act on it,” she said. Andy has worked in multiple industries and held many positions in her professional career before joining the CTR.
Since her graduation from Chicago State University, she’s worked in a daycare attending to special-needs children, was a former manager at Hertz Rental Car, and also became a cosmetologist from Pivot Point International, barber from Chazap Barber College, and taught students from ages 16 to 50 at Dudley Beauty College Chicago School.
“I’m a life learner,” she said. “I’m always willing to learn and go wherever my passion takes me.”
Leading and teaching others became a common theme for Andy as she found fulfillment in helping people learn new skills.
“I’ve always been the type of person that if I learn something, everyone around me is going to learn it,” she said. “I’m not going to leave anybody behind. So, if I see you struggling, and I get it, you’re going to understand it, too.”
Family and friends encouraged Andy to take her teaching abilities a step further in education and when she discovered the CTR program was still accepting applications, she quickly joined the program.
“The CTR has been one of the best challenging experiences I’ve had so far,” said Andy. “It laid a foundation for me to want to be eager to learn more and to get in-depth with my content.”
Andy is in the Diverse Learners cohort and completed her summer courses at DePaul. She is now training at Chicago Vocational Career Academy.
“I look forward to my students,” she said. “I look forward to opening their minds and letting them know they can be whoever they want. I want my class to be a culture of unity and growth.”
Andy understands her role as an incoming educator is to authentically inspire and facilitate confidence in her students to create a safe space where they want to learn. She brings her energy and optimism to her teacher training site as she continues with the CTR program.
Are you interested in pursuing your passion for teaching others like Andy or do you know someone who would make a great teacher? Refer someone to the CTR or apply today here: https://connect.auslchicago.org/apply/
