The Southwest Region MSTA (SWRTA) Board of Directors will provide ten SMSTA members a scholarship during their student teaching experience each year. Each of these scholarships are for $500 and are to provide extra assistance during their time of student teaching. A maximum of four fall semester and six spring semester scholarships will be awarded. To honor Joann’s memory, dedication to MSTA, and continue her legacy of leadership to Missouri educators, we have named the scholarship the Joann Cogdill Memorial Scholarship.
As a board, our goal is to support and encourage educators at all levels including our youngest members who are beginning their educational journey. We understand that many students enter student teaching each year in a difficult financial situation. They often wonder how they will juggle a job, family, student teaching, and handle their bills. In many cases, they put it all on credit just to get by. They work multiple jobs at 30-40 hours per week, all while student teaching, which is an extremely stressful endeavor.
Our hope is that this scholarship will provide some much-needed support and relief during student teaching, all in Joann’s memory!
Eligibility
Requirements for this competitive scholarship include:
● An application that is completed in its entirety and a recommendation letter received on or before September 29th for the Fall 2023 semester and February 23rd for the Spring 2024 semester.
● The applicant must be enrolled in a Student Teaching experience in the semester in which he/she applies. If they are a full-year intern, they are eligible to apply for both the fall and spring semesters.
● The applicant must be enrolled in a Southwest Region college or university and be completing their Student Teaching experience in the Southwest Region.
● The applicant must be an SMSTA (Student Missouri State Teacher Association) member. They can join for free at https://msta.org/smsta.
As part of this application, please include the following:
● A typed letter of statement outlining specific details and information that would help us better understand their situation and why this scholarship would be beneficial to them. Those must be submitted by uploading it in the form linked below.
○ Information could include why they chose to enter the teaching field, current employment (outside of student teaching), family dynamics, unique situations they have overcome or are currently dealing with, have they already applied for or accepted a position with a school, and any other information that helps us relate to them and get to know them better.
● One letter of recommendation from a college/university professor, advisor, or Cooperating Teacher. Those can be submitted by uploading it through the application or the reference can email it directly to SWRTASecretary417@gmail.com. Please be sure they include the applicant’s name, the name of the person recommending the applicant, and the contact information of the reference.
To complete this scholarship application, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/SWRTA-JCMS