Our Scholars Say Thank You!
December 15, 2014
You can make a real difference by giving to scholarships in the College.
“My research is focused on the Navajos’ language and culture and how to revitalize and maintain the language and the Navajo epistemology (also known as ways of knowing). I hope that my research will make an impact for the Navajo youth to reconnect with their language and culture.”
Vangee Nez
Vangee Nez is one of the 66 students in the College of Education to receive a scholarship in 2014. Donor-funded endowed scholarships support 5% of the College’s student population. Teacher candidates graduating from the College in the spring of 2014 had an average debt of $14,500. On a $30,000 starting teacher salary, repaying this debt is a burden for new teachers. That is why supporting scholarships in the College is so vital to education in our state.
Students who receive adequate financial assistance are more likely to graduate, to do so sooner and to earn higher grades. “Our endowed scholarships are truly an investment in the professionals who serve the children and families of New Mexico,” says Dr. Salvador Hector Ochoa, Dean of the College of Education. “We are very grateful to our generous and caring donors.”
Scholarship recipients are also grateful. Jong Hoon Lee, a first-year doctoral student in Sports Administration, notes that the “scholarship will allow me to concentrate more of my time for studying.” “This scholarship is truly a blessing,” says Jahan Barela, who is training to become an educational diagnostician, a professional in short supply in New Mexico. “Currently, many children are waiting for evaluations to get the help they need,” he explains. “My degree will definitely benefit the children and families in our state.”
