The College of Education (COE) at Illinois State University received a grant of just over $440,000 from the Illinois State Board of Education to build the Redbird Educator Scholars Program.
The Redbird Educator Scholars Program is a comprehensive effort aimed at helping the persistence and achievement of current freshmen teacher education students who attended high schools with Education Career Pathways.
“We know that the top factors contributing to students not continuing their college education include financial worries, time constraints, social factors, inadequate support from their social circles, and being ill-equipped for the demands of university-level academics,” said Dr. Stacey Jones Bock, associate dean in the COE. “So, this program is designed to address each of those factors to support new teacher education students.”
There are 300 freshmen eligible for the program. The program encourages active participation in teacher education affiliations, scholarships, grants, and career-related experiences and cultivates a community of dedicated and empowered future educators by implementing evidence-based strategies and leveraging existing research on student success.
Throughout the program, students will benefit from a range of support measures, including:
- Peer Mentorship: Collaborating closely with sophomore teacher education students who will serve as mentors.
- Faculty and Staff Guidance: Receiving mentoring from esteemed teacher education faculty and staff members.
- Community Building: Engaging in activities that foster a sense of belonging and connection within the program.
- Access to Academic Resources: Being connected with valuable campus academic resources to enhance their educational journey.
“We are really excited for this program as it will serve as a support for many first time in college students, and will also be a leadership growth opportunity for many sophomore teacher education students who are mentors”, said Kelli Appel, director of Recruitment and Retention in the COE. “Extensive research underscores the substantial impact of peer mentoring programs on student success and higher education retention rates.”
This program also includes social events, such as a campus scavenger hunt, a pumpkin farm visit, paint night, bowling, escape room challenges, and cupcake wars. These activities provide opportunities for the Scholars to interact with their peers, build relationships, and foster a supportive community.
“My favorite part about the program and the connection cafes is having a space to do work with other people in my major. In this process I have learned more about my major and the resources available to me”, mentioned Lexi Wood, a current middle-level teacher education major.
