SRJC Kicks Off Teaching Fellows Program

A new innovative program at Santa Rosa Junior College wants to encourage more students to get into teaching and is offering scholarships for those interested in becoming a teacher or working as a school counselor, librarian, psychologist or administrator.

The SRJC Teaching Fellows program launches this spring and is funded by a $5 million anonymous donation the school received earlier this year.

The program offers qualified students $1,800 as a merit-based award for the semester and will match 12 students with 12 teachers, who will serve as mentors.

“In my brief time in Sonoma County, I have encountered many SRJC alumni who fondly recall ‘a teacher who made a difference in my life.’ It’s now time to begin development of the next generation of great SRJC and Sonoma County faculty,” said SRJC President Frank Chong in a statement.

Teaching fellows will meet regularly with their SRJC mentors and will also have monthly meetings with others participating in the program. The students will learn about best practices in teaching methodology in educational settings, working with diverse populations and about educating students in a changing world.

“We’re really trying to identify promising students and encourage them to pursue a career in education,” said Joel Gordon, SRJC Dean of Child Development and Teacher Education.

The program is open to students interested in working in education from pre-kindergarten through college level. To be eligible, students must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average, have completed 24 units of college by this semester, and plan to enroll in a minimum of 12 units at SRJC for the spring semester.

Deadline to apply is November 5. Click here to apply for a Teaching Fellow scholarship or to become a faculty mentor.