SWAU Education Department Receives $3.5 Million Grant

Southwestern Adventist University (SWAU) is proud to announce that its education department has been awarded a prestigious Augustus F. Hawkins Center for Excellence grant totaling $3.5 million. 

This funding, which will be distributed over five years, will enable SWAU to enhance its educator preparation program by addressing the diverse needs of students in various educational settings.

With this grant, SWAU aims to expand its certification pathways, including traditional and bilingual options, to better equip educators for all classroom environments. The funding will also provide resources for certification test preparation, helping future educators succeed in obtaining their certifications.

The initiative will also explore teacher residency models, offering aspiring teachers hands-on training in real classroom settings. 

A portion of the funds will be allocated to scholarships, making the program more accessible to students from diverse backgrounds.

Additionally, the grant will support the growth of the education department through the hiring of new faculty and support staff, enhancing the overall educational experience. Efforts to improve learning environments will also be prioritized, ensuring that both teachers and students have optimal spaces for teaching and learning.

Ongoing professional development opportunities will be available for both faculty and students, fostering continuous improvement in teaching practices. 

The proposal for the grant was developed in collaboration with SWAU’s dedicated education faculty and WRD Consulting Group. Cheryl The, who will serve as the project director, is enthusiastic about leading the charge in implementing these innovative initiatives. “The future is bright for SWAU’s educator preparation program,” said The. “This grant provides resources that will allow us to innovate and develop a program that produces fully certified teachers ready for diverse classrooms from day one.”

‍