blacksburg, virginia – Virginia Tech is working across state lines with Shaw University to address the lack of diversity among teachers.
The two schools created a pipeline for students who graduated from Shaw University, a historically black college in North Carolina.
This program is specifically for students studying STEM at historically Black colleges and universities. The goal is to encourage students from historically underrepresented populations to apply to the graduate programs Virginia Tech offers in science education and her STEM education.
The Virginia Department of Education reports that Roanoke County has 1,180 teachers, but only 20 of them were Black last school year. Meanwhile, Bedford County employs 795 teachers, only 25 of whom were black last school year.
In the 2016-2017 school year, Black teachers made up 7% of the workforce in U.S. public schools, and Black students made up 15% of the student body, according to a Pew Research Center report.
“The Virginia Tech School of Education has always looked to cultivate a more diverse workforce of teachers, and being able to see someone who looks like myself is an incredibly rewarding experience for students.” That's a huge boost,” said Gerald Lawson, Virginia Tech's interim director. of education.
Currently, two students are enrolled in this program. Both have taken classes at Virginia Tech and teach in schools across the commonwealth. Although neither student had considered pursuing a degree in education, they say this program is important to them.
Whitney Osideko, who is currently participating in the program, said, “It contributes to the growth of the community and culture. I think the most important thing right now is to help the younger generation.”
Meanwhile, Javari Burgess, who is also part of the program, said it was important for children to express themselves as it goes beyond the classroom.
“It helps grow the community and the culture. I think the most important thing right now is to support the younger generation and guide the younger generation into young leaders, young doctors, young teachers,” Burgess said. .
A partnership between Virginia Teach and Shaw University was also established to increase teacher retention. The Virginia Department of Education reported more than 3,500 vacancies last year.
Virginia Tech said it plans to partner with other historically black universities for the program. A new class is scheduled to start this fall.
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