Walden University's Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership Offers More Than $370,000 in Education Scholarships

MINNEAPOLIS, May 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Teacher Appreciation Week gives students, parents and communities across the country the opportunity to celebrate the outstanding work their educators do every day. To highlight its ongoing commitment to teacher effectiveness, Walden University's Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership is offering more than $370,000 in scholarships to deserving educators who are making a positive impact on their school or community.

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"We believe there is no better way to show appreciation for our nation's educators than by providing them an opportunity to further their education," said Dr. Kate Steffens, dean of the Riley College of Education and Leadership. "Walden is very proud of our role in preparing educators to make a profound difference in our nation's classrooms, schools and districts."

The scholarships, which reflect Walden's mission of social change and its commitment to providing access to quality higher education, are available for new students seeking a bachelor's, master's, education specialist or doctoral degree. Available scholarships include:

• NEA Excellence in Public School Education Full-Tuition Scholarships: A proud NEA Academy Alliance Partner since 2010, Walden will award up to seven full-tuition scholarships to National Education Association (NEA) members who have made a positive impact on public education. The scholarships are available to new Walden students who enroll in the M.S. in Early Childhood Studies, M.S. in Education (M.S.Ed.) or M.S. in Instructional Design and Technology program.
• Positive Social Change Doctoral Scholarships: In recognition of education leaders' important contributions to positive social change, Walden will award five $20,000 scholarships to post-master's educators who have had a positive impact on their local community's education challenges. The scholarships are available to new students who enroll in the Ph.D. in Education, Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), or any of Walden's Education Specialist (Ed.S.) programs.
• Ann "Tunky" Riley Excellence in K–12 Education Scholarships: In memory of Ann "Tunky" Riley, a dedicated teacher and advocate for quality public education, Walden is offering two $25,000 scholarships to educators who make superior contributions to their students, colleagues, schools and communities. Former U.S. Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley will select the two recipients of this scholarship, which is dedicated to his late wife. This scholarship program is available to new students who enroll in any Riley College of Education and Leadership bachelor's, master's or doctoral K–12 education program.
• Terry O'Banion Leadership Scholarships: Named in honor of Terry O'Banion, a respected community college thought leader, this scholarship is offered to two new students enrolling in a master's or doctoral degree program in higher education. Walden will award two $25,000 scholarships annually to new students in the Ph.D. in Education, Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Education Specialist (Ed.S.), M.S. in Higher Education or M.S. in Adult Learning programs.
• Excellence in Early Childhood Scholarships: This program awards up to $10,000 to four new students who have demonstrated excellence in the field of early childhood and are enrolling in one of Walden's early childhood academic programs. The scholarships cover a wide variety of programs, specializations and concentrations in early childhood from the bachelor's to the doctoral level.
• M.S. in Instructional Design and Technology Scholarships:This program awards $7,500 scholarships to four new students enrolling in the college's M.S. in Instructional Design and Technology program who have successfully integrated technology into the learning environment within their school, community or business.

Anglea Bouch of Hampton, Ga., who teaches at Red Oak Elementary School in nearby Stockbridge, was awarded $20,000 as one of the 2012 Positive Social Change Doctoral Scholarship recipients who enrolled in Walden's Ph.D in Education program with a specialization in Special Education. "This scholarship provided the means to enroll in a program that will allow me to train adults with high functioning autism or Asperger's syndrome and prepare them for greater self-regulation, greater interpersonal skills, and greater theory of mind, while reducing anxiety and improving employability," she said.

The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership at Walden University, a National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)–accredited institution, is the choice of more than 54,000 students and alumni who are leaders in their classrooms and schools, including more than 80 state teachers of the year. The college is dedicated to improving educator effectiveness and preparing educators to make a positive impact on student achievement.

For more information on these scholarships, visit http://www.waldenu.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/riley.

About Walden University
For more than 40 years, Walden University has supported working professionals in achieving their academic goals and making a greater impact in their professions and their communities. Today, more than 46,500 students from all 50 states and more than 145 countries are pursuing their bachelor's, master's or doctoral degrees online at Walden. The university provides students with an engaging educational experience that connects them with expert faculty and peers around the world. Walden is the flagship online university in the Laureate International Universities network—a global network of more than 70 campus-based and online universities in 29 countries.

Walden offers more than 75 degree programs with more than 345 specializations and concentrations. Areas of study include health sciences, counseling, human services, management, psychology, education, public health, nursing, public administration and information technology. For more information, visit www.WaldenU.edu. Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org.

SOURCE Walden University