Grand Valley State University was granted $13.2 million in fellowships and stipends from MI Future Educator Programs since 2023. This total amount makes the University the state leader in funds received from the initiatives. The programs seek to ease the financial strain of student teachers and those looking to enter the education field.
In its third year, the MI Future Educator Fellowship provides $10,000 scholarships to as many as 2,500 students currently enrolled in teaching programs. In addition, the MI Future Educator Stipend seeks to specifically help students with their financial burdens, awarding $9,600 to those in their student teaching semester. The stipend is renewable for students that consistently do well in their schooling.
Jason Cronkite, associate director of GVSU’s Office of Certification and Accreditation, broke down the $13.2 million total.
“Since the start of the 2023-2024 academic year, GVSU future educators have been awarded 578 fellowships, totaling $4.2 million and 750 stipends, totaling $9 million,” Cronkite said.
Cronkite said that not all education majors qualify for funding. Students must commit to teaching in Michigan after graduation to receive funds.
“The fellowship is renewable for up to three years, helping to reduce financial barriers as students prepare for careers in education,” Cronkite said. “To be eligible for the fellowship, students must meet specific criteria, including at least junior standing, maintaining a 3.0 GPA and committing to teach in Michigan after graduation.”
Daisy Fredericks, director of Teacher Education at GVSU, said the programs come from a place of forward progress. According to Fredericks, the “invisible” work of teaching deters some students from pursuing the profession altogether. Fredericks said that by making the profession easier to join, it may keep the ranks of teachers more populated with good candidates.
“Most people choose to become teachers because of their passion for working with people, and share their passion for the profession,” Fredericks said. “Teachers are deeply invested in building relationships and supporting their communities; they have a passion for learning and sharing their knowledge with others.”
Despite emphasizing passion for the profession, Fredericks mentioned that teachers can face a range of challenges.
“The more common challenges include limited time to do all the things required for the job, stress associated with the job and limited funding for school resources and teacher pay,” Fredericks said.
The University’s use of the fellowship and stipends aims to recognize the role of educators, and inspire students to pursue the profession. For some students, their passion for teaching is worth leaving behind past majors. GVSU student Nikolas Tompkins is one such individual.
“I had initially gone to college to study engineering,” Tompkins said. “It was a much higher paying field than education, but I found that I was more passionate about teaching.”
Tompkins said that if he’s eligible for financial support, he will happily apply. He is firm in his belief that he made the right career choice when switching into education.
“Educating our children is one of the most important things we can do to better our society,” Tompkins said. “Without good and qualified teachers, this (bettering society) cannot happen. Investing in our teachers ensures that our students are getting better education.”
