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Students win State Farm teacher scholarships

May 30, 2007

KALAMAZOO--Thirty-two Western Michigan University students have been awarded $1,000 each from the State Farm Companies Foundation to support their participation as teacher interns during spring semester and were honored at a reception earlier this month in Lansing, Mich.

Dr. Gary L. Wegenke, dean of the WMU College of Education, delivered the opening remarks at the reception, followed by Mark Odland, vice president of operations for State Farm. They were joined by several state legislators, officials from State Farm and WMU, and by student recipients of State Farm-funded internships and their families.

The internships were awarded through WMU's School University Partnership Team. Students successfully completed teaching internships at school districts across Michigan. State Farm contributed $32,000 to scholarships for the University's program, which has been recognized nationally by the Association for Teacher Educators as a Distinguished Program in Teacher Education.

"We are pleased to be able to continue our support of this important program and to help these outstanding young men and women pursue their career goals," says Odland. "Today's education system is producing tomorrow's workforce, and State Farm is proud to again partner with WMU in cooperation with area public schools, to provide outstanding learning opportunities for tomorrow's classroom teachers."

Through WMU's School University Partnership Team program, special emphasis again was placed on locating interns in "urban schools of promise." In the 2006-07 academic year, more than half of the State Farm interns worked in "highly urban" schools. In two of the core schools in the WMU Urban Program (Washington and Edison elementary), there were a total of six State Farm interns. Washington and Edison are magnet schools in the Kalamazoo Public Schools district.

This past year, the State Farm Companies Foundation made contributions to WMU totaling $60,000, not including employee-matching gifts. In addition to the $32,000 contributed for School University Partnership Team scholarships, State Farm gifts supported minority scholarships in the College of Education and Haworth College of Business as well as several ongoing initiatives in support of financial planning courses in the business college, including funding for the State Farm Professorship for Financial Services.

State Farm Companies Foundation scholarship recipients

Jennifer Benson, a senior from Portage, Mich., interned at Comstock Northeast Middle School in Comstock.

Melissa Beregsasy, a senior from Eau Claire, Mich., interned at Howard Ellis Elementary in Niles.

Melissa Braunz, a senior from Grand Junction, Mich., interned at Washington Elementary in Kalamazoo.

Cheryl Brooks, a senior from Niles, Mich., interned at Howard Ellis Elementary School in Niles.

Lindsey Burkle, a senior from Battle Creek, Mich., interned at Verona Elementary School in Battle Creek.

Lisa Chudd, a senior from Lake Villa, Ill., interned at Comstock East Elementary in Comstock.

Christine Clark, a senior from Alma, Mich., interned at Paw Paw High School in Paw Paw.

Amanda DeBoer, a senior from Byron Center, Mich., interned at Washington Elementary School in Kalamazoo.

Angela Douglass, a senior from Vicksburg, Mich., interned at Vicksburg Middle School in Vicksburg.

Molly Gauthier, a senior from Ada, Mich., interned at Dickinson Elementary in Grand Rapids.

Megan Hammes, a senior from Jenison, Mich., interned at Milwood Middle School in Kalamazoo.

Christina Harning, a senior from Eastpointe, Mich., interned at Washington Elementary School in Kalamazoo.

Jenna Hiller, a senior from Mattawan, Mich., interned at Milwood Elementary School in Kalamazoo.

Jamie Hyslop, a senior from Novi, Mich., interned at Pepper Elementary School in Oak Park.

Leslie Johnson, a senior from Gaylord, Mich., interned at Gobles Elementary School in Gobles.

Lindsey Johnson, a senior from Gaylord, Mich., interned at Gobles Elementary School in Gobles.

Kathy Kennedy, a senior from Niles, Mich., interned at Eastside Elementary School in Niles.

Cassie Lundy, a senior from Niles, Mich., interned at Chime Elementary School in Kalamazoo.

Erin Lute, a senior from Alpena, Mich., interned at Edison Elementary in Kalamazoo.

Charity Mansfield, a senior from Mattawan, Mich., interned at Allegan Elementary School in Otsego.

Grayson McKinney, a senior from East Grand Rapids, Mich., interned at Moorsbridge Elementary School in Portage.

Jamie Miller-Ballard, a senior from Centreville, Mich., interned at Sunset Lake Elementary School in Vicksburg.

Kasandra Posey, a senior from Chicago, interned at Milwood Elementary School in Kalamazoo.

Dwight Quinn, a senior from Muskegon, Mich., interned at Nims Elementary School in Muskegon.

Rachel Richmond, a senior from Niles, Mich., interned at Eastside Elementary School in Niles.

Joann Ripley, a senior from Sodus, Mich., interned at Fairplain West Elementary School in Benton Harbor.

Nicole VanDyke, a senior from Muskegon, Mich., interned at Edison Elementary School in Kalamazoo.

Matthew Webb, a senior from Ferndale, Mich., interned at Einstein Elementary School in Oak Park.

Cynthia Wigman, a senior from South Bend, Ind., interned at Edison Elementary in Kalamazoo.

Heather Wojciechowski, a senior from Lake Orion, Mich., interned at Loy Norrix High School in Kalamazoo.

Andrew Wood, a senior from Muskegon, Mich., interned at North Muskegon High School in Muskegon.

Media contact: Mark Schwerin, (269) 387-8400, mark.schwerin@wmich.edu

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