WS Chronicle

The Department of Teacher Education and Graduate Studies at Salem College received a $16,500 grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust to create a Teachers as Practitioners Benevolence Fund. This fund will support financially needy students living in Forsyth County who are seeking their teaching licensure during their student teaching semester. Benevolence funds will be accessible to qualified students beginning in the fall 2013 semester.

According to the school, many students in the program must quit their part- or full-time jobs in order to complete the student teaching semester.  The Benevolence Fund will provide financial support for students in their student teaching semester to complete their final requirement to obtain their teaching licensure.

“This grant is a huge gift to our department,” says Salem Director of Teacher Education Mary Ann Davis. “Student teaching is a full-time job. Some of our student teachers have needed paid employment at the same time in order to pay rent and buy food for their families. These funds will allow them to focus on their teaching, giving them a stronger classroom experience.”