Deadlines loom for two scholarship programs for minority Hoosiers with interest in teaching

Minority students who plan to teach in Indiana K-12 schools after graduating from high school may be eligible for up to $4,000 in financial aid. Two scholarships—the William A. Crawford Minority Teacher Scholarship and Earline S. Rogers Student Teaching Stipend for Minorities—offer financial aid for minority students who meet academic requirements and commit to teaching at least three years after earning a college degree.   

Deadlines are approaching for both scholarships. Applications for the William A. Crawford Minority Teacher Scholarship will be accepted through Friday, September 4, 2016. For the Earline S. Rogers Student Teaching Stipend for Minorities, applications are accepted according to when students plan to student teach.

For those who student teach this fall, applications are due by Tuesday, October 4, 2016. Students who plan to student teach in spring 2017 should apply by Tuesday, January 31, 2017. Full requirements and applications are available on the Indiana Commission for Higher Education website at www.in.gov/che/4498.htm.

Originally called the Minority Teacher’s Scholarship and the Student Teaching Stipend for Minorities, both scholarships were renamed during the 2016 legislative session to honor two Indiana state legislators for their commitment to ensuring equity in education and closing achievement gaps: William A. Crawford, a long-standing state representative from Indianapolis who passed away in 2015 and Earline S. Rogers from Gary, who will retire from her state Senate seat this year.

The William A. Crawford Minority Teacher Scholarship was created in 1987 to encourage minority students (defined as black and Hispanic individuals) to pursue careers in education. Qualifying students can receive as much as $4,000 for tuition and fees. Since its creation, more than 3,000 students have utilized the funds.

In 2013, the Earline S. Rogers Student Teaching Stipend for Minorities was created to provide additional financial aid for minority student teachers, who often spend hundreds of hours student teaching in the K-12 classroom before earning their degrees. Qualifying students may receive up to $4,000 for supplemental financial support. About 100 students have utilized these stipends.

For more information or to apply online, visit www.in.gov/che/4498.htm.