Awards, Scholarships and Fellowships

The College of Education & Human Development Alumni Scholarship Program honors students who exemplify excellence by their scholarship and commitment to improving student achievement. This scholarship is supported by donations from college alumni and friends.

Award Criteria

Applicants must:

• Be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program in the College of Education & Human Development
• Have a minimum GPA of 3.5
• Demonstrate pattern of scholarship
• Show a commitment of service to the university, community and profession
• Have a letter of recommendation from a professor in his/her department

Application Submission

The application deadline for 2020/21 will be announced soon.

For more information, contact Nabria Dunn at ndunn1@gsu.edu.

The Alonzo A. and Gwen Crim Scholarship ($1,000) recognizes excellence at the undergraduate level. The selected student will demonstrate a commitment to serving urban communities through education in formal and/or informal spaces. Awardees must have a connection (currently or in the past) to a Crim Center program, initiative or partnership. Utilizing Dr. Crim’s idea of the Community of Believers, the student selected should demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively in the development and implementation of solutions to pressing issues in urban communities.

Award Criteria

Nominees must:

• Be an undergraduate student in good academic standing at Georgia State University
• Be connected to a Crim Center program, initiative or partnership within the past two years
• Outline how her/his work serves as a bridge between the university and the greater community and creates opportunities for communities of people to work collectively
• Participate in or lead activities that result in improvement of urban education
• Utilize funds for tuition, fees, books, room, board and other associated expenses incurred at the undergraduate student level

Nomination Process

Applicants should submit the following:

• Nominee’s letter (500-1000 words) addressing eligibility criteria listed above and proposed use of funds
• Nomination letter from any Georgia State University personnel who has worked closely with nominee

Application Submission

All nomination packets must be submitted in person to the Alonzo A. Crim Center for Urban Educational Excellence (College of Education & Human Development, 30 Pryor St. SW, Suite 350, Atlanta, GA 30303). Address nomination packets to Brian Williams, director of the Alonzo A. Crim Center for Urban Educational Excellence.

• This scholarship is not being offered this year. 

Dr. Asa G. Hilliard III was a world-renowned Pan-Africanist educator, historian and psychologist whose work impacted people around the globe. ­This $1,000 scholarship is given in recognition of leadership and engagement in urban education settings that has improved — and demonstrates a promise to continue improving — the educational context and/or student development and learning in these settings.

Award Criteria

• Be a graduate-level CEHD student in good academic standing
• Have a high level of academic achievement
• Actively exemplify the work and/or research of Dr. Asa Hilliard III
• Demonstrate activities and/or leadership leading to the improvement of urban education
• Utilize award funds for tuition, fees, books, room, board, or other expenses common to graduate-level study
• Agree to serve as a volunteer & liaison at Asa G. Hilliard Elementary School on behalf of the CEHD

Application Submission

Note: Applications will be accepted Dec. 9, 2020, through Feb. 1, 2021.

Applicants must provide the following:

• Nomination letter from applicant’s major professor addressing selection criteria
• Nominee’s letter addressing eligibility criteria and proposed use of funds
• The nominee should include their panther number,  email(s), phone number and mailing address.

Materials submitted beyond stated requirements will not be considered.

Completed packets must be received by Feb. 1, 2021.

Submit packet electronically to Dr. Gwendolyn Benson at gbenson@gsu.edu,  cc: lforstner@gsu.edu.

Or deliver to the CEHD Dean’s Office, Attn: G. Benson, Suite 1010.

The College of Education & Human Development’s Student Affairs Committee will award three student scholarships each spring: one $500 undergraduate scholarship, one $750 graduate scholarship (master’s and educational specialist programs) and one $1,000 doctoral scholarship (Ph.D. and Ed.D. programs).

Application Submission

Complete and submit your application online, including a financial need/personal statement and a letter of recommendation from one faculty member from your program department. Faculty members should submit recommendation letters online or deliver them to the Student Services Suite (College of Education & Human Development, Suite 300).

Applications won’t be accepted until spring, 2021.

For more information, contact Steve Mendenhall at smendenhall@gsu.edu (undergraduate students) or Leslie Gillett at lgillett@gsu.edu (graduate students).

Faculty members may submit recommendation letters once the form reopens.

Online Application Closed for 2020

This award recognizes the activities of graduating graduate students who demonstrate a commitment to their academic discipline. It will be presented at the college’s Spring Graduate Commencement. Up to two awards may be given at any one time; each award will have a $500 honorarium.

Nominations are made by CEHD faculty members. Submission packets should include a statement by the student detailing activities which demonstrate commitment to the discipline, a current vita and a letter of endorsement by a CEHD faculty member.

Submission packets must be in one PDF file and sent to Walt Thompson, associate dean for graduate studies and research, at commitment@gsu.edu by 5 p.m. March 1, 2019. A recommendation for the awardee(s) will be made by a dean-appointed committee.

The Joanne R. Nurss Endowed Scholarship in Life-Long Literacy was established by Martha Abbott-Shim, in memory of Dr. Joanne R. Nurss, who founded Georgia State University’s Early Childhood Education Department and was critical to its success, and the success of its students. This scholarship will provide a monetary award to a graduate student, in good academic standing, who is focusing on early literacy, adult literacy, and/or the acquisition of English as an additional language.

Award Process & Criteria

A committee established by the Dean of the College of Education and Human Development or his/her designee will determine the number and recipients(s) of the award(s).

The recipients(s) of the award must:

• be in good academic standing at Georgia State University;
• be pursuing a graduate degree focusing on early literacy, adult literacy, or the acquisition of English as an additional language; and
• have demonstrated financial need as determined by the Georgia State University Office of Financial Aid.

For more information about this scholarship, please visit our Joanna R. Nurss Endowed Scholarship in Life-Long Literacy page.

The Karen Lopp Memorial Scholarship, established in memory of Karen Lopp, a Ph.D. student in the school psychology program, is awarded each year to one graduate level student for their contributions to the university, college and the community.

Award Criteria

Applicants must:

• Be a current master’s or doctoral student in the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services
• Demonstrate a commitment to advocacy or service to one of Karen Lopp’s areas of interest or other multicultural area

Application Submission

Applicants must submit the following:

• A complete application
• A two-page essay
• Resume/CV
• Two letters of recommendation

For more information, contact Dustin Ducharme at dducharme2@student.gsu.edu or or Emily Srisarajivakul at esrisarajivakul1@student.gsu.edu.

This award supports women pursuing a degree in teacher preparation who have the challenge of raising a family while furthering their education.

Award Criteria

Applicants must:

• Be in good academic standing in the College of Education & Human Development
• Be pursuing a teacher preparation degree and exhibiting exemplary teaching ability

Application Submission

Applicants must submit the following:

• Letter of application outlining applicant’s commitment to degree completion, financial need and statement of suitability for the scholarship as envisioned by Kay Chester
• Two letters of support from faculty and/or staff advisor

Materials must be submitted by Feb. 12, 2020 to Joyce Many, associate dean of undergraduate studies and educator preparation, at jmany@gsu.edu.

The Margaret Jones Scholarship is awarded annually to an undergraduate or graduate student who is either preparing to teach or is currently teaching health and physical education at the elementary or middle school level. An undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 is required.

Application Submission

Application forms will be available from the Department of Kinesiology and Health at the beginning of spring semester.

This award provides support to a student preparing to teach middle school mathematics and pursuing a master of education in mathematics education.

Application Submission

Applicants must write a 500-word essay describing the importance of mathematics with a discussion on their theory of teaching.

For more information, contact Gwen Kearney at gkearney@gsu.edu.

Scholarship Opportunity to Pursue STEM Teaching (DSPETL)

Georgia State University in partnership with the Fulton County Schools and the Rockdale County Public Schools is pleased to announce the Developing STEM Professionals as Educators and Teacher Leaders (DSPETL) scholarship opportunity for STEM professionals to pursue careers as STEM Teachers and Teacher Leaders. This is a National Science Foundation-funded project designed to strengthen the STEM teacher workforce. The two major goals of the project are to  1) recruit and prepare STEM Professionals who are willing to commit to teaching, and remain as highly-effective teachers in high-need middle and high schools, and 2) engage STEM Professionals in robust and innovative professional learning experiences for their development as teacher leaders. The details of the project are outlined below.

Key Features

• STEM Professionals eligible for the DSPETL scholarship include anyone who holds a baccalaureate, masters, or doctoral degrees in the sciences, mathematics, engineering, computer science, or other related fields with an overall GPA of 2.5.
• STEM Professionals awarded the scholarship opportunity will be known as DSPETL Teaching Fellows (TFs).
• TFs receiving scholarships through DSPETL will be matriculated in the Master of Arts Degree Program in mathematics or science education. The DSPETL Scholarship pays 100% tuition and a stipend of $12,000 for each year of project participation. This $12,000 is in addition to the salary to be paid by the district in which the TFs are employed.
• TFs will complete the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Degree program at Georgia State University in their first year of the program (over three or four semesters) and will be certified to teach mathematics or science in grades 6 through 12.
• TFs will have ongoing support from Georgia State, FCS, and RCPS for successful completion of the program of study and initial teacher certification requirements in their first year of the project. Upon completion of the MAT degree program, TFs will upgrade their certifications to renewable at the professional level to teach science or mathematics in the partnering middle or high schools.

Selection Process

Participants in DSPETL must meet all criteria for acceptance into the MAT Degree Program for teaching secondary mathematics or science. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in mathematics, engineering, a science field, or a related field from an accredited college or university. A minimum of a major in a mathematics or science area must be part of prior coursework (24 upper- division semester hours).

All applicants will be exempt from taking the GRE and their eligibility will be determined using the following measures:

• Have earned an undergraduate grade point average of 2.5 or higher
• Earned an acceptable score on the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) Basic Exam
• Provide three letters of recommendations: one academic or professional letter; one from someone who can evaluate personal qualifications; and one from a current or past supervisor
• Provide a statement of career goals in 300-500 words
• Complete a successful interview with the DSPETL leadership team

Design of the MAT Degree Programs in Mathematics and Science

The program of study is 36 semester hours designed for completion over three semesters where TFs will take 12 credit hours each semester. TFs begin the program in the summer of each year and complete the program of study and all requirements for graduation and initial certification the following spring semester.

Table 1: Overview of Program of Study for MAT in Mathematics/Science Education

Professional Studies (9 hours)	Teaching Field/Major (9 hours)	Teaching Field/Major (9 hours)	Internship (9 hours)
1) EPRS 7110 – Multicultural Education 2) EPRS 7910 – Action Research 3) EPY 7080- The Psychology of Learning and Learners	1) EDCI 6600 – Introduction to Secondary Teaching 2) EDMT 6560 (EDSC 6550) – Principles of Mathematics (Science) Instruction 3) EDMT 7560 (EDSC 7550) – Theory and Pedagogy of Mathematics (Science) Instruction	1) 3 Content Courses in a Core Discipline Coursework 6000 or higher from the Department of Mathematics and Statistics or the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Earth/Space Science, and Physics	1) EDCI 7660 Practicum I 2) EDCI 7670 – Practicum II 3) EDCI 7680 – Practicum III

• Professional studies refer to education courses in Educational Psychology, Social Foundations and Research and Measurement
• Teaching Field refers to discipline-based education courses (e.g., methods,, principles of teaching, theory and pedagogy)
• Teaching Field Major refers to graduate level content courses in mathematics and science taken in the College of Arts and Sciences
• Internship refers to the credit hours for the year-long clinical experience as provisional teachers

Exit Requirements

In order to successfully complete the MAT Program in Science Education or Mathematics Education and be recommended for certification, DSPETL TFs must:

• Complete all coursework with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher
• Earn a B or better in all internships
• Successfully complete the final version of the digital dossier (project in lieu of thesis)
• Receive a passing score on the GACE
• Pass edTPA

Fulton County Schools (FCS) is the fourth largest district in the state of Georgia with 101 schools in 13 cities serving approximately 96,000 students. FCS is 71 miles long and is bifurcated by Atlanta Public Schools. Of the 101 schools, 61 are Title 1. Forty-seven percent of students are eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch. FCS is an ethnically diverse district with 43% African American, 30% White, 15% Hispanic, 10% Asian, 2.7% Multi-racial, and <.1% Asian and Pacific Islanders. FCS has four learning communities (south, central, northeast, and northwest) – each with distinctive demographics and needs. This project will focus on the south geographic area because they have the highest needs, and placing highly qualified STEM professionals in these schools has the potential to improve the academic outcomes of the students.

Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) is a PK-12 public school system that is located just east of Atlanta in Conyers, Georgia. RCPS serves nearly 17,000 students with 3 high, 4 middle, 11 elementary, and 4 non-traditional schools. Until 2001, just 27% were economically disadvantaged and only 32% of the 13,000 students were racially diverse. Currently, 88% are racially/ethnically diverse and 73% qualify for Free/Reduced Lunch. RCPS is committed to developing sustainable programs that provide a very strong connection between students’ learning about science and learning how to apply science, engineering, and mathematical practices within the learning process. Over the past 18 months, RCPS has partnered with Georgia State to provide 50 teachers with a unique blend of professional learning created to enhance their understanding and application of targeted core content, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts.

For more information, email Dr. Christine Thomas and Dr. Natalie King. You may also call Tattiana Hardrick at 404-413-8005.

Important Dates: 

The College of Education & Human Development (CEHD) Dean’s Research Doctoral Fellowship initiative recognizes outstanding scholarly accomplishments and the academic potential of newly admitted research doctoral students in the CEHD. Recipients of the four-year fellowship embody the highest standards of research and scholarship in the CEHD’s graduate programs. All deadlines are by 5 p.m. on the given date.

For full information and application download the Dean’s Research Doctoral Fellowship document »

Application Deadlines

There are two application rounds. Regardless of the round, advisors are responsible for submitting the application(s) to the Office of the Dean by 5 p.m. on March 1. Each advisor may establish due dates for his or her advisee(s) to provide materials prior to this deadline.

Round one: All applicants offered a fellowship will be notified of their award status no later than March 15. Applicants selected for an award in the first round must either accept or decline the offer on March 25.

Round two: If fellowships are not awarded in the first round, then applicant(s) may be offered awards by March 30. Applicants selected during the second round must either accept or decline the offer by April 10. Any additional applications worthy of the Dean’s Research Doctoral Fellowship will be forwarded to the dean before determining if they should be funded.

Eligibility

The primary function of the CEHD Dean’s Research Fellowship initiative is to recruit and enroll newly-admitted, first-year doctoral students. Selection preference will be given to applicants who have not started their doctoral programming at Georgia State. However, it is recognized that there may be exceptions when a CEHD doctoral student may be seeking funding. As such, the Dean’s Research Fellowship is available to applicants who are in their first year of study.

Application Submission

Applicants must be admitted to a CEHD doctoral program. The applicant should request a nomination letter from her or his CEHD doctoral program advisor. The applicant must write a letter of application addressed to the dean that includes research goals, why he or she should be provided fellowship funding and how she or he is a good fit within the respective department. The applicant letter should not exceed two typed pages (single spaced with 12 point font).

The applicant should send a vita to her or his advisor with the following information, if appropriate, in the prescribed order: name with contact information,  areas of research interest, educational background (degrees received, attendance/graduation dates, majors), professional credentials (employment history),  research and scholarship (publications), honors, awards and recognitions,  instructional experiences, service experiences, honor societies and professional organization memberships and any additional relevant information. It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the advisor with an electronic copy of the letter of application and vita in a timely manner in accordance with due dates established by the advisor.

No ancillary materials (for example, DVDs, CDs) will be accepted. Web addresses linking to ancillary materials may be included, as appropriate, in the nomination materials. However, whether or not any or all of the Web material is reviewed will be at the discretion of the dean and CRS members.

The Department of Early Childhood and Elementary Education has partnered with the Future Immersion Teacher (FIT) Fellowship, an initiative of the French government’s Dual Language Fund that prepares students to teach in dual language immersion settings.

Qualified French-speaking students enrolled in either the M.Ed. in elementary education with a concentration in dual language education program or the dual immersion early childhood education endorsement program may apply for this fellowship.

For more information, contact Cathy Amanti at camanti@gsu.edu.

The Hayden-Waltz Doctoral Dissertation Award offers financial support for a Ph.D. student working toward completing his/her dissertation. All College of Education & Human Development doctoral students who have an approved dissertation prospectus may apply.

This $1,000 award was established by CEHD alumni Mel Hayden (Ph.D. ’89, Ed.S. ’82) and Lucy Welzant Hayden (Ph.D. ’86, M.Ed. ’77) to honor their parents.

For full information and application download the full Hayden-Waltz Doctoral Dissertation Award document »

Award Criteria

The award is given based on the following selection criteria:

• Originality of idea
• Clarity and effectiveness of presentation of ideas
• Quality of writing
• Contribution to the field and future scholarly productivity
• Reasons why the student is deserving of financial assistance in the completion of the dissertation

Application Submission

Applications are currently being accepted for this award.

Applicants must submit the following:

1. Cover letter (include degree program and contact information)
2. Three to five-page executive summary of the dissertation written by the student (including a budget)
3. Nomination letter from the major professor detailing why the student is deserving of financial assistance in the completion of the dissertation

In order to qualify for this award, a completed application and supporting documentation must be submitted in one PDF file by email to Walt Thompson, associate dean for graduate studies and research, by 5:00 p.m. on February 15.

The award is given to those students who demonstrate the following:

• Originality of idea
• Clarity and effectiveness of presentation of ideas
• Quality of writing
• Contribution to the field and future scholarly productivity
• Reasons why the student deserves financial assistance in the completion of the dissertation