Mission, Texas- Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) has selected a Mission Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) teacher for a special fellowship program.
Texas A&M University Chancellor John Sharp is awarding a fellowship for one candidate from each of the Texas A&M University campuses to be groomed for a future leadership position as an administrator through the We Teach Texas campaign.
Alicia Bazan, a kindergarten teacher at Leal Elementary School of Technology and Engineering was selected by TAMUK officials through a competitive process to participate in the special fellowship. Through the fellowship, Bazan will pursue a Master of Science degree in Educational Administration from TAMUK, attend the Chancellor’s conference, sit on advisory committees, and be a positive advocate for education.
“My goal is to one day hold a leadership position where I can work with my staff to help build a school filled with confident, well-rounded and prepared students,” Bazan said in her application materials. “This fellowship is an opportunity to be in the student’s position, and be helped by someone that believes in me too.”
Dr. LaVonne Fedynich, Masters in Educational Leadership Program Coordinator, and Dr. Don Jones, TAMUK Educational Leadership and Counseling Associate Professor, nominated Mission CISD superintendent Dr. Carol G. Perez to select three candidates to be considered and interviewed for the fellowship, representing the district and TAMUK. Mission CISD campus principals were asked to recommend highly-qualified teachers from an underrepresented group to apply to become one of three finalists to be interviewed by TAMUK. A district-level committee reviewed and ranked the applications, with the top three candidates being interviewed by TAMUK on June 4.
“We were very excited and honored to have been selected by Dr. Fedynich to represent TAMUK and participate in this program,” said Dr. Perez. “This also ties in with our desire to help groom our own employees for advancing their careers within the district. We are very proud of Ms. Bazan and look forward to supporting her as she works toward her goals.”
The TAMUK We Teach Texas campaign encourages more Texans to become educators at one of the Texas A&M University’s 11 educational colleges. The campaign advocates for the importance of teachers and education in building an educated workforce. The Texas A&M University system educates more than 153,000 students each year, and is ranked number one in Texas in the production of initial educator certificates.
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