Teaching Fellows for Maryland Scholarship-Due October 11th

Thu, 19 Sep 2019 09:43:19 -0400

Please see attached application and link for instructions to apply

https://education.umd.edu/news/09-11-19-mhec-announces-full-tuition-scholarship-teaching-students

https://mhec.maryland.gov/preparing/Pages/TeachingFellowsMDScholarship.aspx

TOWSON, Md. —

Maryland may have come up with a short-term remedy for a serious teacher shortage.

The state has agreed to pick up the tab for a college education for students who qualify, but the offer comes with strings attached.

Wednesday marked the first day to apply for the Teaching Fellows of Maryland scholarship, which has $2 million set aside for residents who will commit to becoming teachers.

The goal is to help current students become teachers as a way of responding to a growing shortage of educators in the classroom. James Fielder Jr., secretary of the Maryland Higher Education Commission, said the scholarship is one of a kind.

"It's key in the fact that it's the first one that's been established exclusively for teachers to increase the number of teachers in the state," Fielder said.

For those who qualify, the new teaching scholarship will pay 100% of tuition, fees, room and board. In return, after graduation, recipients must agree to teach in a Maryland public school where at least 50% of the students receive free or reduced-price meals.

It didn't take long for word of the teaching scholarship to get around the campus and in the hallways of Towson University's College of Education.

"I wish it would have been earlier, but it has presented itself now. I definitely will be applying," Towson student Goodness Nwaneri said.

Maryland students from high school seniors to graduate school students can apply for the scholarship.

"We work and we go to school, so many of us are always trying to get more money so that we can continue our education. So, I can imagine it will be a very popular scholarship," Towson student Kaitlynn Gooding said.

Laurie Mullen, the dean of Towson's College of Education, said there has been a quick response to the teacher scholarship.

"Already in my office, we've had phone calls, we've had students stop and they walk in with their papers and saying, 'Is this for real?' So we've had a lot of excitement," Mullen said.

Maryland Higher Education Commission officials said the deadline for scholarship applications is Oct. 11.
That means there's a very short window to apply. Anyone interested can see the application and requirements here.