Teaching degree available in Columbia Gorge, $3k scholarships available
From Columbia Gorge Community College:
Do you want to become a teacher but can’t move out of The Columbia Gorge to get the needed education? Here’s a solution.
The Elementary Education Pathway allows students to complete their first two years at Columbia Gorge Community College and then obtain their bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Oregon State University.
And you never have to leave the Columbia Gorge.
“Through this program, I have learned the skills to be a better mentor, mother, and teacher,” said Jessica Marino, one of several CGCC students already well on their way to becoming teachers. “Working with kids is a dream of mine and with CGCC’s Pathway of Elementary Education, I can now focus on that dream. I have always been interested in the way children grow, learn, and develop. I want to make an impact in children’s lives, and teachers are desperately needed.”
Scholarships Available
Scholarships are available now for awards up to $3,000. The deadline to apply is at 5 p.m., Friday, March 18, 2022.
How It Works
Prospective students need to declare an Elementary Education Pathway with an academic adviser, submit a scholarship application and register for spring term classes at CGCC.
Studies at OSU are conducted online. Students do not need to relocate for their bachelor’s degree.
Another current student, Julia Cardiel, said the program gives her the chance to fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher.
“I will not have to leave The Dalles and move my family to go to a university,” Marino said. “This is very important to me because having to up and leave a town I have been in for 10 years would be a hard transition for my family.”
A third student, Brigitte Barnes, said it was important to her to be able to stay in the Gorge.
“I was unable to leave because of family and work Obligations,” she said. “I am in my 40’s and I know that Elementary Education is my life calling.”
Get Some Help
Contact Ryan Brusco, academic adviser, to learn about classes, registration, and declaring a major: rbrusco@cgcc.edu or (541) 506-6066. Contact Wendy Patton, executive director of CGCC Foundation, for questions about the application: Email: wpatton@cgcc.edu or (541) 506-6104.
More about Scholarship Program
The program began in 2019 through a $175,000 grant from Meyer Memorial Trust. Students from under-represented communities are encouraged to apply, as CGCC and OSU work to diversify the region’s teaching workforce while also addressing the continuing shortage of teachers.
