New L&L Student Teacher Awards

Due to the generosity of an anonymous donor, the Department of Languages & Literatures has inaugurated a series of Student Teacher Awards to financially support L&L students during their student teaching semester. These pre-service teachers typically spend their final semester student teaching in their specialty area(s) under the supervision of a teacher mentor. These placements happen throughout the state of Iowa and beyond, and they are essential to preparing L&L Teaching majors for their future profession.

The L&L Student Teacher Awards are designed to both recognize merit and respond to unique financial needs posed by off-campus placements. Sheila Benson, English section coordinator, says of these awards, “Student teachers are often in a tricky financial spot during their student teaching semester. Because they are focusing full-time on preparing for the classes they are teaching in their placement, they have no time to work a part-time job, but their other expenses remain. The new student teacher awards address some of that financial challenge in important ways."

All students in L&L Teaching majors (English-Teaching, Spanish-Teaching, TESOL-Teaching) can apply for these awards, and eligible students are contacted and encouraged to apply during the semester prior to student teaching. Current funding allows for eight (8) awards to be given during each academic year.