WKU News

The Grow Your Own and GameChangers initiatives will assist educators in professional growth

WKU’s College of Education and Behavioral Sciences today announced two new scholarship programs. The programs, coined “WKU Grow Your Own” and “WKU GameChangers Teaching Initiative,” serve to financially support students and community members who, upon graduation from WKU’s undergraduate and graduate educator preparation programs, will return to their home districts as classroom teachers.

“In cooperation with our school district partners, WKU students will receive semester grants to be used towards the payment of tuition,” said Corinne Murphy, Dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. “Once graduated, the students will return to their home districts as classroom teachers. These collaborative efforts serve to establish a pipeline that will help districts recruit and hire strong educators to further impact the lives of students in their communities.”

Undergraduate students who participate in the district-based WKU Grow Your Own initiative will complete their foundational studies with their Bowling Green-based peers. The students will then transition to a district-based clinical model, where practicum and student teaching experiences will occur in their home district. Currently, WKU has partnered with the Russelville School District with hopes for expansion to other regional district partners in the coming years.

Similarly, the WKU GameChangers initiative will support current school district staff to attend WKU to earn their teaching credentials through WKU Graduate Education programs. WKU, Warren County Public Schools, Bowling Green Independent Schools, and the GameChangers, a community-based organization, centered this collaboration on enhancing the opportunity for Black and Underrepresented individuals to earn teaching credentials as adult learners currently in the workforce. WKU plans to expand this initiative with other regional school districts with goals to  increase opportunities for district professional staff.

For more information on how to apply to either grant, please reach out to the CEBS Dean’s office and the team will appropriately direct you: tammy.spinks@wku.edu. Continue to follow WKU CEBS on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to remain updated on further  announcements as we maintain our new alternative learning practices and celebrations.

Contact: School of Teacher Education - 270-745-5414