Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) and Today’s Students Tomorrow’s Teachers (TSTT), a non-profit organization that provides support and resources to aspiring teachers, have entered into a partnership agreement to provide a variety of services to TSTT students to help them succeed in college.
MVCC will provide entrance and education requirements; appoint college representatives, mentors, and financial aid representatives to support applicants and assist them with paperwork and requirements; provide college-in-high-school programming at no cost; support full tuition for 11th- and 12th-grade students; and provide job placement services for TSTT students. In return, TSTT will provide screening and selection services for high school students, a program coordinator to implement the college training syllabus, academic support, career guidance, and more.
According to Bettye H. Perkins, Ed.D., President and CEO of TSTT, “Our partnership will serve as a viable solution to help tackle the growing teacher shortage crisis. It will provide our schools with caring, competent, and certified teacher assistants in two years vs. four. And, as importantly, these teacher assistants will gain valuable experience and the financial means to go on to a four-year college and receive full teacher certification. It is indeed an honor to partner with Mohawk Valley Community College to offer our deserving students this amazing opportunity!”
“We are thrilled to partner with Today’s Students Tomorrow’s Teachers toward the collective aim of diversifying our region’s teacher workforce,” said MVCC President Randall J. VanWagoner, Ph.D. “This partnership provides the holistic supports and coherent pathways required for students to thrive as they pursue their teaching careers. We are honored and excited to collaborate with TSTT due to their long and accomplished history leading in the teacher development space.”
About Mohawk Valley Community College
Mohawk Valley Community College, established in 1946, is New York State’s first community college with a mission to provide accessible, high-quality educational opportunities for everyone. As the community’s college, MVCC is committed to student success through partnerships, transfer and career pathways, and personal enrichment. With campuses in Utica and Rome, MVCC is the region’s primary provider of college education, offering 90 degree and certificate options for its enrollment of 6,000 full- and part-time students. MVCC also serves an additional 6,000 people through its corporate and community education programs, and its campuses welcome more than 50,000 people annually for community events. For more information, visit mvcc.edu.
About Today's Students Tomorrow's Teachers
TSTT is chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. TSTT is a unique school-based mentoring program that recruits and mentors culturally diverse and economically challenged high school students who are interested in pursuing a career in teaching. TSTT provides financial assistance for students to attend college and places them as teachers and leaders who will inspire and strengthen their communities. More at tstt.org.