McDaniel welcomes inaugural class of Educator’s Legacy scholarship students
Prospective students who meet admission requirements and have a parent or guardian who has at least four years of current and consecutive employment in K-12 education qualify for the $100,000 scholarships to McDaniel.
Ben Weil from Flemington, N.J., had visited and was already leaning toward McDaniel as his top choice when his acceptance letter included a P.S. that said he might qualify for a $25,000 a year Educator’s Legacy scholarship.
Prospective students who meet admission requirements and have a parent or guardian who has at least four years of current and consecutive employment in K-12 education qualify for the $100,000 scholarships to McDaniel.
Ben’s mom, Meredith, a school librarian at Francis A. Desmares Elementary School, could not believe what she was reading and called his dad, Paul.
“We thought it sounded too good to be true, that there must be a limited number of these or something like that,” Meredith Weil says. “But our Admissions counselor Rebecca confirmed it when I called. It was an added bonus and helped make Ben’s decision easier.”
Their stories vary, but most of the 56 members of the inaugural class of Educator’s Legacy recipients had similar reactions to hearing about the scholarship, and then cheers of joy when they discovered they qualified.
These first-year and transfer students come from big cities and small towns all over the country, from Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida and more. They are athletes, class presidents, cheerleaders, volunteers, musicians and honor students — connected by the common thread of a parent or guardian in K-12 education.
“McDaniel has successfully trained teachers and administrators for over 100 years,” says McDaniel president Roger Casey. “The college also has a tradition of producing top educators, including the 2011 National Teacher of the Year Michelle Shearer.
“We are proud of this legacy and want to celebrate our commitment to educators by rewarding the children of elementary and secondary school employees with this scholarship.”
Any service in a K-12 school qualifies, such as teachers, counselors, nurses, support staff or administrators, etc. Students must have at least a 2.5 grade point average (GPA) to receive the scholarship and must complete and file an online K-12 employment verification form. Their parents also must submit a letter on school letterhead from the school administrator verifying the parent’s employment record. The $25,000 annual scholarship is renewable each year to students who maintain satisfactory academic progress.
Kathleen Bechtold, who earned her master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction at McDaniel in 2006 and teaches fourth grade at Robert Frost Elementary School in Prince George County, says it was ultimately daughter Maggie’s choice but the scholarship was a big factor in that decision.
“I love it here,” says Maggie Bechtold, a freshman from Crofton, Md. “It’s the best thing ever.”
Read more about Educator’s Legacy scholarships.
