The Woodrow Wilson-Rockefeller Brothers Fund
Fellowships for Aspiring Teachers of Color
More Details: An Introduction to the Program
How long did the Rockefeller Brothers Fund manage the Fellowships for Aspiring Teachers of Color? And why was the initiative created?
The Rockefeller Brothers Fund funded and managed the Fellowships for Aspiring Teachers of Color from 1992 through 2008, with a brief pause from 1998 through 2000. The goal of the Fellowship program was to help recruit, support, and retain individuals of color as public teachers and administrators.
How many Fellows are there?
As of January 2009, there are 350 Fellows (266 women and 84 men). The Fellows Class of 2008 marked the 14th cohort since the program’s inception in 1992.
What has been the financial support to Fellows?
The Fund has awarded nearly $8 million in grants and financial assistance to the 350 Fellows. Up through the 2008 cohort, Fellows received up to $22,100 for the summer project, graduate school, and loan repayments.
What has been the impact of the Fellows program?
Over 60 percent of all Fellows that became teachers have remained in the teaching field for more than five years as compared to the national average of 33 percent. And more than 80 percent of the students selected for the Fellowships have pursued careers in public education or education related fields.
Why did the RBF select the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation as the new home for the Aspiring Teachers of Color program?
According to a statement from the RBF, “We believe that the impact of the Fellowships can be significantly enhanced if responsibility for administering the Fellowships is transferred to the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation since the Foundation’s primary focus is identifying and developing talented individuals to address the educational needs. We believe that the RBF and the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowships complement each other and will make significant contributions to addressing educational needs and enhancing the impact of teacher quality, diversity, and effectiveness.”
In addition, all current, former and future Fellows will become lifelong members of a national network of intellectual leaders. Today’s 20,000 Woodrow Wilson Fellows include 13 Nobel Laureates, 35 MacArthur “genius grant” recipients, 14 Pulitzer Prize winners, two Fields Medalists in mathematics and many other noted scholars and leaders.