Camarillo, Calif., August 23, 2004 - Some of tomorrow's best teachers will be trained in the credential program at 91Թ-thanks to scholarships that will help each of them to pursue their passion for teaching.
Five CSUCI credential students received the 2004-5 Edison International Teachers for Tomorrow Scholarship, based on economic and educational needs and their quality of preparation to enter the teaching field. Michelle Bennett, Darrell Forthe, and Lynda Uvari, all of Ventura, and Julie Love and Jessica Medina of Oxnard were each awarded $5,000 to begin their credential program at CSUCI in the fall semester of 2004.
The five students join scholarship winners from previous years: Martina Albert, 2002-03, and Kari Taketa and Heidi Vaught, 2003-04.
“We're very proud of these students who have demonstrated not only academic achievement but a love for teaching as well,” said Joan Karp, CSUCI professor of special education and chair of education programs. “All of these five students are exemplary in their desire to help young people learn and experience the highest education possible. They will all make a major contribution to their communities."
Bennett is a May 2004 CSUCI summa cum laude graduate. “I'm a re-entry student, a single mother with three children,” she said. “I've been a volunteer mentor, working with at-risk youth for over four years. These are the kids who inspired me to pursue a teaching credential. This scholarship allows me to secure my goal. I'm very grateful for this scholarship, as it allows me the opportunity to perhaps make a difference in our community's youth.”
Forthe is also a May 2004 CSUCI graduate. “I've always wanted to help kids,” he says. “This scholarship really helps me to fulfill my dream to make a difference in the world. Teaching is all about doing something positive in people's lives. This scholarship gives me even more motivation to become a teacher.”
Another CSUCI May 2004 graduate is Medina, who has also been a volunteer working with young people. She hopes to be a multiple-subject teacher in an elementary school in Oxnard. “This scholarship is a huge help,” she said. “It's very difficult to juggle working and schoolwork. The coursework is very intense and requires a lot of your time.”
Uvari is also a re-entry student who graduated summa cum laude from CSUCI this past spring. “This scholarship will help me to achieve my dream to become an elementary school teacher. I speak Spanish and I want to give back to the community and teach in Ventura County. My goal is to make a difference in the lives of children.”
Love received her bachelor's degree in 1989 and her multiple subject credential this year from California State University Long Beach. For her, the scholarship is especially meaningful since she had decided to abandon a 12-year career in insurance work to pursue a love for teaching. “I've always gravitated toward special education,” Love says. “I've always tried to respond to those who need extra attention. I'm so honored by this scholarship. It means a great deal to me.”
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About 91Թ
CSU Channel Islands(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CI's Social Media.