Teaching Fellows at CSU

I have the privilege of directing the Charleston Southern University Teaching Fellows Program. In my role, I work closely with an exceptional group of teachers-in-training beginning their first year in college until graduation. The South Carolina Teaching Fellows Program is designed to recruit high-achieving high school students into the teaching profession and to help them develop leadership qualities.

• The Program is funded annually by the General Assembly, and up to 230 awards are offered statewide each year
• The Teaching Fellows Program is managed by the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement (CERRA)
• Following a rigorous selection process, Teaching Fellows receive up to $24,000 in awards ($6000 per year for four years) while they attend a Teaching Fellows Institution and pursue a degree that leads to initial teacher certification
• Teaching Fellows are placed in cohorts based on the year they enter the education program and the institution they attend
• Teaching Fellows are provided numerous professional development and leadership opportunities beyond those offered through the institution’s teacher preparation program
• Teaching Fellows agree to teach in a South Carolina public school for one year for every year they receive the Fellowship

The Teaching Fellows Program recruits the best of the best and prepares these future teachers to positively impact education in South Carolina. Teaching Fellows participate in advanced professional development from their first year in the Program. Professional development opportunities center on leadership, respect for diversity, advocacy, and innovative and effective teaching practices. Teaching Fellow graduates are prepared to be teacher-leaders from the beginning of their careers.

The CSU sophomore Teaching Fellows plan and implement a Sophomore Trip each year. They do the work; I go along for the ride. The following is an excerpt from current senior Jo Underwood as she reflects upon the impact of her trip and the doors it has opened for her:

“I had the opportunity in my sophomore year to visit the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind with my Teaching Fellows cohort. While there, we got to tour the facility, meet teachers and students, and learn about getting certified to teach Deaf and Blind students. Since then, I have volunteered with the School for the Deaf and their career center a few times. Once, I went around to different career and vocational classes and helped them; the next time, I accompanied the eighth grade for a full day; and another time, I attended a field trip with pre-k through 3rd grade to Lowes food. Those experiences allowed me to practice my American Sign Language with the kids, learn more about Deaf culture, and learn about a new teaching environment. The class sizes are never more than eight students each, the classrooms are large and well stocked, and there is a large amount of support and extra programs to better prepare these students for the real world. Because of my Sophomore Trip, I now plan to finish at CSU, get my Deaf/Hard of Hearing certification, and teach at the South Carolina School for the Deaf.”

If you, or someone you know, is interested in becoming a South Carolina teacher, please consider the Teaching Fellows Program! To apply, students must be a U. S. citizen and a legal resident of South Carolina at the time of high school graduation.

Students who wish to apply must complete an online application between October 1 and December 1 of their final year of high school. Two reference surveys; information about school/community involvement and/or work experience and leadership activities; a high school transcript with class rank; and ACT/SAT scores (if applicable) are collected through the online application process.

An initial screening committee scores all complete applications. Up to 500 qualifying applicants are invited to participate in regional interviews, where they will interview with a team of three educators, deliver a short presentation on an assigned topic, and write an essay in response to a prompt.

I would be honored to work with you or someone you recruit for CSU’s Teaching Fellows Program.

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