With support from the Dunham Fund, North Central College is able to extend scholarship offers to local students who aspire to be teachers and, specifically, Aurora-area educators. The Teach First program offers professional and personal development opportunities for first-generation college students majoring in education, with a mentoring network that provides them with real classroom experiences in their first year of college.
These scholarships help students cover the “gap” not covered by other financial aid packages and meet the significant need for qualified teachers in the Aurora area. Bilingual, Spanish-speaking teachers are especially in demand. To address this critical shortage, additional scholarships are offered to students who take the extra coursework to complete a bilingual or English language Learning (ELL) endorsement, which will aid in students becoming even better qualified candidates for local teaching positions.