Holy Names University Awards Oakland Teachers with Tuition-free Teaching Credentials

NNPA Newswire/BlackPressUSA
By Oakland Post Staff

This fall, Holy Names University (HNU) will award full-tuition scholarships to 20 Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) teachers who have demonstrated a commitment to Oakland’s students. Recipients of HNU’s Urban Educators Project scholarship have pledged to teach in OUSD schools for the next five years.

Working with OUSD, HNU’s Urban Educators Project strives to increase the number of fully credentialed teachers in urban schools, address the ongoing teacher shortage in the Bay Area, and increase the pool of teachers of color.

Teachers who work in historically under-resourced schools with low teacher retention are prioritized for this scholarship.

“By removing the financial barrier to receiving a teaching credential, we hope to improve student success and disrupt inequity in urban school systems,” said Dr. Kimberly Mayfield, HNU’s Dean of the School of Education and Liberal Arts and VP for External Relations and Strategic Partnerships.

“We have this incredible opportunity to increase the diversity of our local teachers and make sure Oakland students see themselves reflected in the classroom,” she said.

OUSD Chief Talent Officer, Tara Gard, is thrilled with the HNU investment.

“Our District Strategic Plan focuses on the development of diverse, representative educators who reflect the identities of Oakland students and families,” she said. “The OUSD Urban Teachers project aligns perfectly with our OUSD pathways that support the development of our classified, afterschool, and diverse aspiring educators.”

“We know what a huge barrier post-baccalaureate education can be and this support from Holy Names University is critical for our educators and district,” she said.

Added Dr. Mayfield, “Teachers with credentials are better prepared and more likely to stay in the profession. We hope this project will help to keep our best teachers teaching in Oakland schools.”

The School of Education and Liberal Arts at HNU specializes in preparing students to teach in urban settings. Students are encouraged to view their work through a lens of equity, and to engage in issues of race, language, and power to promote individual and community transformation.

Along with the Single Subject Credential, Multiple Subject Credential, and Education Specialist Credential, the School of Education offers a Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Education, Master of Arts and Certificate in Educational Therapy, and Bilingual Authorization.

Funding for HNU’s Urban Educators Project is provided by the R.H. and Jane Logan Scholarship fund. For more information about HNU’s Urban Educators Project, contact Dr. Kimberly Mayfield at mayfield@hnu.edu.

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