Published: September 04, 2008 10:27 pm      

Future teachers receive scholarships

Ten Sam Houston State University students who are planning careers as mathematics and science teachers have been selected to receive scholarships for the 2008-09 academic year.

The scholarships are funded by a grant awarded to the university by the Greater Texas Foundation, headquartered in Bryan.

Those selected to receive the $2,000 scholarships and their majors are Samantha Beck of Huntsville, mathematics; Ruth Ann Burnette of Lake Jackson, academic studies; Karleigh Frederick of Houston, mathematics; Alyce Hoffman of Giddings, academic studies; and Kiera Jones of Houston, biology.

Also, Ashley Kelly of LaPorte, academic studies; Catherine Mason of Spring, academic studies; Julie Matteson of Alvin, academic studies; Laura Obenhaus of Weimar, biology; and Robbi Tucker of Tomball, biology.

Those students with the academic studies major will be certified as middle school mathematics and science teachers, and those with designated mathematics and science majors will be certified as secondary education teachers.

“We are very proud of these future mathematics and science teachers and are sure that they will bring great credit to both the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education, as well as Sam Houston State University,” said Bill Jasper, associate professor of mathematics education in the SHSU mathematics and statistics department.

The Greater Texas Foundation donated three grants totaling $200,000 to Sam Houston State University in July.

The largest of the grants, $150,000 was specified for use by SHSU's mathematics and science teacher education programs.

“With excellent guidance and support from the University Advancement Office, we decided to award 10 scholarships, for a total of $10,000 for the fall semester and $10,000 for the spring semester, to prospective mathematics and science teachers who were full-time students at SHSU,” Jasper said.

“The remaining $130,000, along with $25,000 additional funding secured by vice president for university advancement Frank Holmes, was endowed for future scholarships in this area.

“The scholarship selection committee of myself, Dr. Andrea Foster, assistant professor of the science education, and Dr. Sylvia Taube assistant professor of mathematics education, both from the SHSU College of Education, pulled over 110 records of eligible students for these awards,” Jasper said.

“We selected 10 students with financial need and high potential for teaching as the awardees of these scholarships. Six of the scholarship winners have SHSU grade point averages of 3.77 or better (on a 4.0 scale),” he said.

According to Jasper, the funding provided by the Greater Texas Foundation will greatly enhance initiatives that are currently underway at Sam Houston State University to meet the state’s critical need for more mathematics and science teachers.