WMU HOME > ABOUT WMU > WMU NEWS

WMU News

State Farm funds special WMU teacher internships

May 17, 2005

KALAMAZOO--Thirty Western Michigan University students received $1,000 each to support their participation as teacher interns during the spring semester through WMU's School University Partnership Team, thanks to a major contribution from the State Farm Companies Foundation.

State Farm contributed $30,000 for scholarships and $6,000 in additional program support for the university's SUPT program, which last year, was honored nationally by the Association for Teacher Educators as the Distinguished Program in Teacher Education.

All 30 of the students who received State Farm SUPT Scholarships recently completed their internships, and 24 of them were in Lansing last month to be honored, together with State Farm, at a reception with state legislators and other officials.

"We applaud Western Michigan University for its leadership in providing future teachers with cutting-edge training that will allow them to succeed in a wide variety of school environments," says Mark Odland, vice president-operations at State Farm. "We see these scholarships as ultimately benefiting the entire state, since these aspiring teachers can have a long-term, positive impact in elementary and secondary schools statewide."

Through the SUPT program, special emphasis was placed on locating interns in "urban schools of promise." Over the past two years, for example, a total of eight State Farm-funded interns have worked at the Washington Writer's Academy, a magnet school in Kalamazoo. The Washington school has won a State of Michigan Blue Ribbon award, despite the fact that more than 90 percent of its students come from families who are at or below the poverty level.

This past year, the State Farm Companies Foundation made contributions to WMU totaling $72,000. In addition to the $36,000 contributed for SUPT, 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.

Listed below are the names of the students who participated in SUPT internships during spring semester, their home towns and the names and locations of the schools in which they interned.

Steven Ambs, a post-graduate teaching certification candidate from Kalamazoo, interned at Maple Street Magnet School for the Arts in Kalamazoo.

Roxanne Bragadin, a senior from Grosse Ile, Mich., interned at Edison Environment Science Academy in Kalamazoo.

Marlis Campbell, a senior from Kalamazoo, interned at Washington Writers' Academy in Kalamazoo.

Chad Cavender, a senior from Dexter, Mich., interned at Battle Creek Central High School.

Sarah Davis, a senior from Kalamazoo, interned at Battle Creek Central High School.

Carlotta Frazier, a senior from Battle Creek, Mich, interned at Maple Street Magnet School for the Arts in Kalamazoo.

Joy Freriks, a senior from Zeeland, Mich, interned at Washington Writers' Academy in Kalamazoo.

Lindsay Hagler, a senior from Kalamazoo, interned at Kalamazoo Central High School.

Martin Horst, a senior from Niles, Mich, interned at Hull Middle School in Benton Harbor.

Philip Jackson, a senior from Kalamazoo, interned at Loy Norrix High School in Kalamazoo.

Heidi Janke-Huizenga, a senior from Plainwell, Mich, interned at Plainwell Middle School.

Meaghan Jenks, a senior from Greenville, Mich, interned at Northeastern Elementary in Kalamazoo.

Kristine Lentz-Johnston, a senior from Climax, Mich, interned at Maple Street Magnet School for the Arts in Kalamazoo.

Michelle Mahar, a senior from Kalamazoo, interned at Battle Creek Central High School.

Shawn McFadden, a senior from Battle Creek, Mich, interned at Edison Environment Science Academy in Kalamazoo.

Errin Menna, a senior from Trenton, Mich, interned at Kalamazoo Central High School.

Kara Mumford, a senior from Mt. Pleasant, Mich, interned at Edison Environment Science Academy in Kalamazoo.

Jennifer Patrick, a post-graduate teaching certification candidate from Kalamazoo, interned at Valley Center School in Kalamazoo.

Amy Patzer, a senior from Dowagiac, Mich, interned at Milwood Middle School in Kalamazoo.

Peter Ponzetti, a senior from Fenton, Mich, interned at Loy Norrix High School in Kalamazoo.

Claire Romano-Martin, a senior from Buchanan, Mich, interned at Howard Elementary School in Niles.

Cara Rumer, a senior from Berrien Springs, Mich, interned at Howard Elementary School in Niles.

Kelly Schrems, a senior from Saginaw, Mich, interned at Loy Norrix High School in Kalamazoo.

Amanda Soltis, a senior from Marshall, Mich, interned at Woods Lake Elementary in Kalamazoo.

Jill Stohon, a senior from Rose City, Mich, interned at Washington Writers' Academy in Kalamazoo.

Karen Therrian, a senior from DeWitt, Mich, interned at Washington Writers' Academy in Kalamazoo.

Andrea Trible, a senior from Chicago interned at Edison Environment Science Academy in Kalamazoo.

Robin Tuka, a senior from Dowagiac, Mich, interned at Fiar Plain West in Benton Harbor.

Rebecca VanDorin, a senior from Jackson, Mich, interned at Washington Writers' Academy in Kalamazoo.

Abigail Zondlak, a senior from Remus, Mich, interned at Milwood Middle School in Kalamazoo.

Media contact: Thom Myers, 269 387-8400, thom.myers@wmich.edu

WMU News
Office of University Relations
Western Michigan University
1903 W Michigan Ave
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5433 USA
269 387-8400
www.wmich.edu/wmu/news