Woodrow Wilson News & Publications
FOR RELEASE: February 18, 2010
CONTACT: Nate Thomas, Program Associate
(609) 452-7007 x161
Beverly Sanford, Vice President for Communications
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FOUNDATION AWARDS FIRST
WOODROW WILSON-ROCKEFELLER BROTHERS FUND FELLOWSHIPS
FOR ASPIRING TEACHERS OF COLOR
PRINCETON, NJ—The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation has announced the selection of its first cohort of Woodrow Wilson-Rockefeller Brothers Fund (WW-RBF) Aspiring Teachers of Color.
Each of the WW-RBF Fellows in this inaugural cohort will receive a $30,000 stipend to complete a master’s degree in education, preparation to teach in a high-need public school, support and mentoring throughout a three-year teaching commitment, and guidance toward teaching certification.
The 25 WW-RBF Fellows were chosen through a competitive selection process. Each Fellow was nominated by one of the program’s 25 university partners. All are graduating seniors with GPAs of 3.0 and above.
The Fellows, many of whom have themselves experienced the limitations of high-need urban and rural schools, also share a common commitment to community service. “What intrigues me most about the Fellowship is that it targets children who are at a disadvantage. I am passionate about working with these children because I am one of them,” said Veronica Arellano of San Antonio, Texas. (See full list of Fellows.)
Established in 1992 by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Fellowships for Aspiring Teachers of Color were created to help recruit, support, and retain individuals of color as public education teachers and administrators. Since the program’s inception, it has awarded nearly $8 million in grants and financial assistance to 350 Fellows. In January 2009, RBF transferred the program to the Woodrow Wilson Foundation following a national review of potential host organizations.
“The Foundation is pleased to add this impressive group of young and promising teachers to its national network of outstanding teachers and scholars,” said Bill Dandridge, program officer and director of the WW-RBF Fellowships for Aspiring Teachers of Color. “Their desire to serve children in the nation’s most challenging schools and communities is an important reason to be hopeful about the future of our public schools.”
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The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation identifies and develops the best minds for the nation’s most important challenges. In these areas of challenge, the Foundation awards fellowships to enrich human resources, works to improve public policy, and assists organizations and institutions in enhancing practice in the U.S. and abroad.
Founded in 1940, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund encourages social change that contributes to a more just sustainable, and peaceful world. The RBF’s grantmaking is organized around three themes: Democratic Practice, Sustainable Development, and Peace and Security, and three pivotal places: New York City, Western Balkans, and Southern China.
THE WOODROW WILSON-ROCKEFELLER BROTHERS FUND FELLOWSHIPS
FOR ASPIRING TEACHERS OF COLOR
INAUGURAL COHORT, FEBRUARY 2010
Victoria-Diane Allison • Wellesley College
Veronica Arellano • Texas State University
Racquel Armstrong • Wellesley College
Shari Baker • Duke University
Victor Cadilla • Wesleyan University
Makeda Farley • University of Pennsylvania
Charmaine Giles • Swarthmore College
Tiffany Gills • Emory University
Maribel Gonzalez • Pomona College
Ambra Green • Texas State University
Himilcon Inciarte • Williams College
Nailah Jones • Howard University
David Knight • Dartmouth College
Kristin Mason • Spelman College
Lorena Mataalii • Mount Saint Mary’s College
Jasmine McDuffie • Spelman College
Zahra Mohamed • Wellesley College
Ashly Osbourne • Pace University
Olga Pagán • Yale University
Estella Reyna • Texas State University
Kenia Rosa • Mount Saint Mary’s College
Emily Taylor • Brown University
Shawdae Thorpe • Howard University
Sabine Vilsaint • Wesleyan University
Angela Vo • Duke University