Springfield College Names 2015 William Beckett Teacher Preparation Scholarship Recipient
Springfield College and Springfield Public Schools announced today that High School of Commerce class of 2015 student Deja Ware has received the 2015 William Beckett Teacher Preparation Scholarship. The scholarship provides full tuition and fees to a graduating Springfield Public Schools student of color, who is preparing for a PreK through 12th grade teaching profession and plans to teach in the area.
Ware has been admitted into the English/Elementary and Special Education Dual Licensure Program at Springfield College. She currently serves as senior class president at the High School of Commerce and works as a project coach and mentor for students at the Gerena Community School in Springfield. Ware also is a member of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp Program.
“We are very proud to offer Deja an opportunity to attend Springfield College,” said Springfield College President Mary-Beth Cooper. “We have heard nothing but good things about her as both a person and a student, and we feel she will fit right in with our campus community.”
Recipients of the scholarship are recommended by the Springfield Public Schools Guidance Department and the Springfield College Office of Admissions following a comprehensive assessment of the student’s academic record.
Springfield Public Schools Superintendent Daniel Warwick said the partnership represents Springfield College's unwavering commitment to the community. “Under the leadership of Dr. Mary-Beth Cooper, Springfield College has once again committed their own resources to make a real difference in the lives of current and future Springfield Public School students,” said Warwick. "We are simply thrilled that the College has allowed us to offer this life-changing opportunity to our students and we could not be more proud of Commerce’s Deja Ware, the first Beckett Scholarship recipient.”
Following graduation from Springfield College with a teaching degree and upon conferral of Massachusetts certification and licensure, William Beckett Teacher Preparation Scholarship recipients will have the opportunity to apply for teaching positions within Springfield Public Schools.
The William Beckett Teacher Preparation Scholarship is named in honor of William H.J. Beckett, an African-American student who received the first degree from the College. Beckett received a Bachelor of Humanics in 1906.
Founded in 1885, Springfield College is known worldwide for the guiding principles of its Humanics philosophy—educating students in spirit, mind and body for leadership in service to others. With its foundation of academic excellence and rich athletic heritage, Springfield College prepares students with real-world leadership skills for careers that transform lives and communities. The college offers a range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the fields of health sciences, human and social services, sport management and movement studies, education, business, and the arts and sciences. It also offers doctoral programs in physical education, physical therapy, and counseling psychology. The college is ranked in the 2015 edition of “Best Colleges” in the top tier of “Best Regional Universities – North Region” by U.S.News and World Report, and is designated as a premier Leadership Development Center by the YMCA of the USA. More than 5,000 traditional, nontraditional and international students study at its main campus in Springfield, Mass., and at its School of Human Services campuses across the country.
