Clemson becomes South Carolina’s newest Teaching Fellows Institution

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The Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement announced the addition of Clemson University as South Carolina’s newest Teaching Fellows Institution. The school will accept its first cohort of Fellows in the Fall of 2020.

“We are thrilled to add Clemson as an option for our state’s Teaching Fellows.” Teaching Fellows program director Jenna Hallman said in a news release. “We have no doubt that this addition will strengthen the program and help our efforts to recruit young people into the teaching profession. Clemson has a strong history of preparing South Carolina teachers as well as a solid plan for the development of a Teaching Fellows program on their campus.”

The South Carolina Teaching Fellows Program has been effective in its efforts to recruit young people into the teaching profession. Currently, 71.2% of graduates (1,392 Fellows) are employed in 72 of 82 South Carolina public school districts, as well as the Charter Institute at Erskine and the Department of Juvenile Justice.

The Teaching Fellows Program was established in 1999 by the General Assembly to address the need to recruit high school seniors into the teaching profession who have exhibited high academic achievement and service to their school and community, the news release said. Teaching Fellows receive up to $24,000 over four years to pursue a degree in education. While participating in the program, Teaching Fellows work with a faculty campus director, receive advanced professional development, partner with businesses and communities, and explore opportunities to refine their leadership skills.

A Fellow agrees to teach one year in a South Carolina public school for each year he or she receives the fellowship. If a Fellow does not meet this requirement, he or she is obligated to repay the appropriate portion of the award, according to the release

The other state Teaching Fellows Institutions accepting new Fellows include Anderson University, Charleston Southern University, Coastal Carolina University, College of Charleston, Francis Marion University, Lander University, USC-Aiken, USC-Columbia, USC-Upstate, and Winthrop University.