Preservice President

Matthew Yuro is a junior at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). He is majoring in Special Education, Elementary Education, and History, in which he is a part of the five-year master's program with TCNJ’s School of Education. He plans on becoming an elementary school teacher after he graduates.

Prior to serving as NJEA Preservice President, Matthew served as the NJEA Preservice Vice President from 2022-2023, and Membership and Local Outreach Chair from 2021-2023. In these roles, Matthew has been a strong advocate for aspiring educators across the state, being able to attend many NJEA Executive Committee meetings and represent NJEA Preservice members at the NJEA Delegate Assembly. Matthew has also been able to help increase membership numbers by implementing the NJEA Preservice previews and promos, helping to talk about the benefits of being an NJEA Preservice member.

Serving on the NJEA Preservice leadership team, Matthew has been able to attend the 2021 and 2022 NJEA Convention in Atlantic City, NJ, as well as serve as an NJEA Preservice panelist at multiple New Jersey Future Educators Association conferences in conjunction with The College of New Jersey’s Center for Future Educators. Matthew also served as a camp counselor for TCNJ’s CFE Future Educators Academy in 2022, an immersive one-week residential summer program designed to provide aspiring educators with knowledge and experiences that will help to prepare them for their future academic and professional careers.

Matthew has also had the opportunity to serve on the National Education Association Aspiring Educators Advisory Committee from 2022-2023, representing aspiring educators across the nation. Through this role, Matthew has been able to help plan the 2022 Aspiring Educators Conference in Orlando, Florida, as well as help to find ways to bridge the gap between aspiring and early career educators. Aside from serving as NJEA Preservice President for this year, Matthew was also elected by acclamation to serve on the NEA Resolutions Committee for the 2023-2024 year, representing all aspiring educators from across the nation.

At TCNJ, Matthew is involved in many extracurricular activities, including serving as the Lieutenant Governor of the Seabreeze Division for the New Jersey District of Circle K International, Vice President for Late Night Takes, President of the History Club, Senator of Education in Student Government, Secretary for Teachers of Young Children, Treasurer for the Student New Jersey Education Association, Vice President for the College Mentoring Union, Historian of Kappa Delta Pi, Secretary of Phi Alpha Theta, and Vice President of Omicron Delta Kappa. Matthew is also a college AVID tutor at Monroe Township School District and a peer tutor with TCNJ’s tutoring center, as well as a Community Advisor with TCNJ’s Residential Education and Housing.

As the newest NJEA Preservice President, Matthew looks forward to reorganizing and improving the Preservice leadership team, helping to plan and grow new ideas throughout the year. Matthew also looks forward to advocating and beginning initiatives for NJEA Preservice members across the state, listening to their needs and wants directly. Matthew is eager to get even more involved within the union, and hopes to represent NJEA Preservice at more NJEA state conferences and events throughout the year.