OSU-Tulsa announces expanded program to help teachers

Thursday, October 5, 2006

Oklahoma State University-Tulsa President Gary Trennepohl and Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Michael Zolkoski announced Thursday that the university is introducing a new degree and scholarship program for area education students and teachers. 

With the support of the OSU-Tulsa Board of Trustees, Trennepohl and Zolkoski announced the Educating Educators program. This initiative includes adding an undergraduate degree in elementary education, emphasizing math, science and teaching diverse learning.  

“Our goal is to produce more teachers and principals for the Tulsa area,” Trennepohl said. “OSU-Tulsa will accomplish this by offering expanded education degrees, increasing scholarships available to education students and developing a post-baccalaureate program for individuals who want to enter the teaching profession but don’t have an education degree.”

Trennepohl said the new Educating Educators scholarships will be available to undergraduate education students and individuals who wish to pursue graduate degrees in education at OSU-Tulsa. 

“OSU-Tulsa recognizes the commitment educators make to the students in our schools every day,” Trennepohl said. “With the Educating Educators scholarship program, we want to honor that dedication by providing resources to those in the education discipline.”

Zolkoski applauded OSU-Tulsa’s commitment to the teachers and principals in Tulsa and the surrounding areas.

“Better-prepared teachers and principals translate to better students,” Zolkoski said. “Through these scholarships, OSU-Tulsa is investing in our teachers and school administrators, whose passion for learning and teaching should not be limited by funding concerns.”

OSU-Tulsa will offer scholarships to full-time students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in early childhood and elementary education. Trennepohl said the university will waive tuition for undergraduate students in these majors for hours above 12 credit hours per semester.

“Educating Educators is a one-of-a-kind scholarship that provides an incentive for students to complete their degrees in a more timely manner by taking more hours each semester,” Trennepohl said. “In essence, our education students will have the opportunity to receive five or six courses for the price of four.”

The Educating Educators scholarships are also available to graduate students working towards master’s and doctoral degrees in counseling, early childhood education, education, educational psychology, higher education, school administration, and teaching, learning and leadership. Tuition for graduate students in these majors will be waived on courses above six credit hours per semester.

OSU-Tulsa currently offers more than 80 degree choices and Pamela Fry, dean of the OSU College of Education, is excited about adding more degree programs in education.

“OSU is making it a priority to help meet the needs of educators in the Tulsa community by offering a comprehensive university degree in education,” Fry said. “The OSU elementary education program combines strong content knowledge, high-quality teaching skills and practical experiences to develop a highly competent education professional.”

For more information on education degree programs, the Educating Educators scholarship, or certification, call 918-594-8000.