Teaching Fellows
History
The South Carolina Teaching Fellows Program began in 1999. The College of Charleston was selected through a competitive grant process among all private and public institutions that offer teaching training. It is one of the eleven South Carolina Teaching Fellows Institutions.
In March of 2007, the College of Charleston Teaching Fellows welcomed the opening of the new School of Education, Health, and Human Performance. The center includes a lounge where Teaching Fellows can study, work on projects and socialize.
Program Overview
Administered by the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement (CERRA), the Teaching Fellows Program provides a $24,000 scholarship/loan for a selected number of outstanding high school seniors, who wish to pursue a degree in education and a career in South Carolina’s public schools. The scholarship is divided among four years and provides $5,700 toward a student’s tuition and $300 for summer enrichment programs each year. A Fellow is required to teach in a South Carolina public school for one year for each year in which s/he receives the scholarship.
The program is set in a liberal arts institution that dates back to 1770, on an urban campus in the middle of picturesque downtown Charleston, S.C. During their first two years, students take a range of courses that challenge their thinking, teach them content, and add to their development as well-rounded, educated individuals. At the College of Charleston, it is understood that a Teaching Fellows scholarship comes with expectations and obligations.
Fellows at the College of Charleston care for one another, as well as the students in their classes. Fellows stand out in classes and on campus, taking leadership roles in organizations such as student government, student mentoring, Greek life and athletic programs.
The College of Charleston promises to assist the State of South Carolina in attracting and retaining the brightest and best students as its next generation of teachers. Teaching Fellows develop into educational leaders, and add to the pool of outstanding South Carolina teachers for all of the state's children.
Program Structure
Students govern the Teaching Fellows Program at the College of Charleston.
In addition to an elected Governance Council of president, vice president and secretary, each Fellow participates in one of five committees (Communications, Greater Community, Our Community, Professional Development, and Recruitment and Retention), as well as his or her own class cohort. Each committee and cohort elect a chairperson and vice chairperson at the end of the Fall semester, with officers serving until the end of the following Fall semester.
Each committee and cohort works to enrich the Teaching Fellows Program by planning service projects, fundraisers, and professional development for the whole group. This governance structure affords multiple opportunities for leadership growth and development.
