EWU offering new fellowship program for people of color studying to become elementary school teachers

Eastern Washington University has partnered with a Bellevue-based real estate company to offer two fellowship scholarships for future elementary school teachers of color seeking teaching certificates through EWU’s Master’s in Teaching program.

The John L. Scott Teacher of Diversity Fellowship, set to start this summer, is supported through a $30,000 donation from John L. Scott Real Estate and another $30,000 from EWU’s School of Education. The two awards will cover tuition, fees and books for master’s teaching candidates.

Applications are open only to non-white Eastern Washington residents who do not already have a teaching certificate.

John L. Scott funded similar scholarships last year through the University of Washington and plans to do the same in the Portland area, according to a university release. Seattle, Spokane and Portland have histories of redlining that placed residency restrictions on people of color.

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in any concentration of study, have submitted an application to EWU’s Master’s in Teaching Program for the elementary (K-8) level and be able to begin the master’s program full-time starting June 27.

Eligible applicants must also have shown a commitment to school-aged youth through community involvement, and demonstrated financial need as exhibited through a federal financial aid application.

Applications are due by April 1. An external volunteer committee made up of people of color, including teachers, will select the recipients.

More information is available at www.ewu.edu/cpp/education/scholarships.