Teaching it Forward Scholarship Award
University grants Teaching it Forward® scholarships to teachers of the year
More than 50 teachers given opportunity to provide full-tuition scholarship to individual of their choice
A hushed silence fell over the room when Dr. Meredith Curley, dean of the College of Education, announced that each state Teacher of the Year would be awarding the Teaching it Forward scholarship to an individual of their choice. “As the shock of this sets in, you’ll start to think about whom you’d like to nominate,” Curley said to the room.
On January 26, University of Phoenix hosted a dinner for the teachers and their state coordinators in Dallas as part of CCSSO’s National Teacher of the Year program. “The State Teachers of the Year are the best of the best,” explains Nancy Hennigan, director of strategic partnerships. Unbeknownst to the teachers, the dinner wasn’t just a dinner. “This is the part where I start to cry,” said Curley. The Teaching it Forward scholarship is a program in which each State Teacher of the Year gets to select a deserving individual of their choice — student, parent, colleague — to receive a full-tuition scholarship to University of Phoenix for a bachelor’s or master’s degree program.
“This is why we teach. To give someone the chance at the American Dream,” said Alvin Davis, a music teacher from Florida. As the shock of the scholarship began to sink in, cheers and tears enveloped the room. “This is the fourth year we’ve offered this program,” explained Curley. “We’ve awarded more than 140 of these scholarships. Each of my staff members are former educators, so we understand how much you value the opportunity to change a life.”
Teachers have until April to complete their nominations. It’s one more task to add to their busy year as advocates for their state education programs, but this might be one of their favorite duties.
“Thank you. Really, thank you,” said Tim Dove, Ohio Teacher of the Year.
To learn more about this scholarship opportunity and others, visit the Center for Scholarship Excellence.
