N.C. State University has a new scholarship that could help address persistent teacher shortages in eastern North Carolina.
The Transformational Scholarship provides $40,000 toward tuition at N.C. State's College of Education over four years to students from eastern North Carolina who intend to return to that region to teach.
This fall, the university welcomed a group of 16 undergraduate students who are studying to be teachers with the help of the scholarship. Rylee Sherwood of New Hanover County is in the first cohort of Transformational Scholars.
“The transformational scholarship almost seemed too good to be true,” Sherwood said. “I'm really, really glad that it was accessible to me, because I probably wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for it.”
Sherwood says the scholarship helped her choose to attend N.C. State University. She’s interested in studying science education, and after college she hopes to return home to teach in New Hanover County or in one of its neighboring counties.
“Teaching is a great way to give back to my community with what it needs, because we need teachers,” Sherwood said.
Public school districts in eastern counties tend to have higher teacher turnover rates, and many struggled with classroom vacancies even before the effects of the pandemic exacerbated the teacher shortage statewide.
Eastern North Carolina is also an economically under-resourced part of the state. The scholarship’s director Trisha Mackey says that was another motivation for the scholarship’s regional focus.
“Research shows that students who have an impactful teacher have more access to higher education, greater paying jobs,” Mackey says. “Providing students in eastern North Carolina with transformational educators can improve the outlook of their life.”
The scholarship will serve up to 100 college students over the next five years. It was funded by a $7.25 million grant from The Anonymous Trust, a private foundation based in Sampson County.
That represents the largest gift the N.C. State College of Education has ever received for scholarships.
The Transformational Scholarship is open to prospective N.C. State students who plan to major in any education program that can lead to a North Carolina teaching license, can demonstrate financial need and who reside in one of 41 counties in the eastern swath of the state.
“That's anything that [Interstate] 95 runs through or is east of 95,” Mackey explained.
Eligible students may be invited to apply for the scholarship after they submit their application to the N.C. State College of Education.
