Calumet College of St. Joseph, Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana and the Catholic Diocese of Gary Launch Scholarship to Strengthen Pipeline of Teachers in Region Catholic Schools
Calumet College of St. Joseph, Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana and the Catholic Diocese of Gary today announced the new Northwest Indiana Teachers Scholarship, which will offer full tuition scholarships for students who are interested in participating in the Transition to Teaching program at Calumet College of St. Joseph. The three organizations are investing $450,000 over three years to fund 10 scholarships per year.
“The education program at Calumet College of St. Joseph empowers teacher candidates to improve their personal lives and create a more equitable society through education,” said Johnny Craig, Senior Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing and Athletics at Calumet College of St. Joseph. “We are thrilled to be able to make this investment in partnership with Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana and the Catholic Diocese of Gary and, in doing so, attract additional high-quality teachers to the Northwest Indiana Catholic school ecosystem.”
Transition to Teaching is an abbreviated statewide program created to help current career professionals with a bachelor’s degree make a career pivot into teaching. The program prepares candidates to teach early childhood education, elementary education, secondary classes, or all-grade classes. The program consists of 18 hours of coursework for secondary education and 24 hours for elementary education, early childhood education, and P-12 education. Scholarship recipients who attend Calumet College of St. Joseph can enroll in elementary and secondary licensure tracks beginning in fall 2022 to be fully licensed by fall 2023.
“Building a strong pipeline of teachers is an integral part of fulfilling Big Shoulders Fund’s mission to ensure that all children have access to a high-quality education in a safe and supportive environment,” said Dan Kozlowski, Managing Director of Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana. “We are honored to be able to invest in the future educators of Northwest Indiana, in partnership with Calumet College of St. Joseph and the Diocese of Gary, to help make becoming a teacher more accessible and provide aspiring educators with opportunities to make a transformative impact on students.”
Candidates applying to the Transition to Teaching program at Calumet College of St. Joseph must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited high education institution. As part of the Northwest Indiana Teachers Scholarship application process, candidates are asked to submit a 500-word essay, as well as participate in an interview with members of Calumet College of St. Joseph, Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana and the Catholic Diocese of Gary.
Upon completion of the Transition to Teaching program, scholarship recipients are likely to be placed in a teaching position in one of the 20 schools in the Catholic Diocese of Gary. Teachers who receive placement will be asked to commit to three years of teaching in the Catholic school at which they are placed. Throughout the program, Big Shoulders Fund Northwest Indiana will also provide ongoing professional development to support the success of each scholarship recipient.
“Catholic schools offer access to academic excellence in a values-based framework that is welcoming to all regardless of religion, ethnicity race or income,” said Dr. Joseph Majchrowicz, Superintendent of Schools in the Catholic Diocese of Gary. “Teachers in a Catholic school setting have the opportunity to make a greater impact thanks to greater one-on-one access with a smaller student to teacher ratio and an environment that focuses on a holistic approach to educating the whole person. We hope this scholarship will attract more passionate educators to bring their skills and enthusiasm to further strengthen our Catholic schools.”
Candidates who are interested in applying for the scholarship or would like to learn more about the opportunity can do so here. Applications are currently open through Saturday, Aug. 6.