The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) has awarded a $1.3 million grant to the University of Mary Washington to establish a Call Me MISTER Program (CMM) – the first of its kind in the Fredericksburg region. The four-year grant will provide scholarships, mentorships, professional training, community engagement and additional funding for first-year and transfer students, encouraging K-12 students from underserved communities to become teachers in those communities. It also will provide a pathway for community college students to continue their education to become educators.
“We are deeply grateful to SCHEV for funding the development of a CMM program at Mary Washington. A CMM program aligned with our strong K-12 partnerships will position us well to address any teacher shortage and increase the number of Pell-eligible students on our campus,” said Pete Kelly, dean of the College of Education (COE) at Mary Washington.
Founded at Clemson University, the Call Me MISTER program has expanded across the nation with Virginia initiatives at Longwood University and the University of Lynchburg.
This newest grant at Mary Washington builds upon a fiscal year 2023 grant from SCHEV to further support Pell-eligible students. The prior grant established UMW’s Tuition Promise awards, closing any gap in tuition funding for in-state students who qualify for federal Pell grants. Through the Call Me MISTER program, UMW will extend support for Pell-eligible students pursuing a teaching career, particularly in underserved schools.
Directing the new initiative will be Justin Wilkes, director of Student Transition, Access and Retention Services (STARS) at UMW.
“Leading the Call Me MISTER program at UMW is a full-circle moment for me, as it was the same program that helped me establish my footing in academia almost two decades ago,” Wilkes said. “I am ecstatic about the opportunity to use CMM to help expand the number of male educators in our K-12 settings, which is much needed. I’m equally thrilled that the financial support from SCHEV gives us resources to support these students through their undergraduate experience, reducing the often stressful act of paying for college so that they can spend more time focusing on the most important task, preparing to be great educators. I am so honored to be involved in such an endeavor that will positively impact the lives of many male educators-in-the-making and the students they will go on to serve.”
The College of Education also offers the Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, funded by a $1.4 million five-year National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, which offers awards to future teachers of science, technology, engineering and math in secondary schools considered high-need. Several programs reach high-schoolers as they consider their career paths, including Teachers for Tomorrow and UMW’s Summer Enrichment Program. The College of Education also leads a Teacher Apprenticeship Program in partnership with local schools.
Students can apply for the college-level programs using the Common App, with tests optional, and they will automatically be considered for any additional programs by expressing interest in education. Scholarship opportunities start in their first year, and the Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program extends to community college students through a partnership with Germanna Community College.
Following graduation, UMW education students serve in local schools across the Commonwealth of Virginia and beyond, and with these programs, they will focus on schools in need. The mission of the Call Me MISTER (acronym for Mentors Instructing Students Toward Effective Role Models) is to increase the pool of available teachers from a broader more diverse background particularly among the state’s lowest performing elementary schools. College student participants with high academic potential, a demonstrated commitment to teach and a servant-leadership orientation may qualify for the program, which also encourages teachers who are more reflective of the state’s shifting demographics. Call Me MISTER welcomes a diverse cohort of students, including underserved, socio-economically disadvantaged and educationally at-risk communities.
“This grant provides our College of Education with a unique opportunity to address not only teacher recruitment but also teacher retention,” said Associate Dean for Academic Programs, Assessment and Accreditation and Associate Professor of Education Jennifer Walker. “The mentorship and support we will be able to provide pre-service teachers will provide them with the tools they need for a successful career in education. Currently, we have the largest teacher shortages ever recorded in almost every area in K-12 education. The teacher preparation programming and support outlined in this grant will leverage us to serve our COE community as well as local school divisions. We are so thankful and appreciative to receive this grant for our future teachers!”
As graduates, program participants are expected to make an impact by returning to critical-need schools and communities to pursue their professional careers. They’ll join more than a century of educators from the University of Mary Washington, which was founded as a teachers’ college and continues to lead the commonwealth in educator preparation. Many graduates earn novice teacher of the year in their first jobs after graduation and serve in public and private K-12 schools throughout the state.
