Fourth Class of Woodrow Wilson Ohio Teaching Fellows Announced

Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor John Carey, in conjunction with the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, today announced the state’s fourth cohort of Woodrow Wilson Ohio Teaching Fellows, which includes 10 University of Cincinnati (UC) students who will join the ranks of accomplished Fellows. The announcement took place at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus.

The 2014 Ohio Teaching Fellows are the fourth class of new teacher candidates to be prepared through the Woodrow Wilson Ohio Teaching Fellowship program since its inception in 2010. Each of the 79 Ohio Fellows – who are recent, outstanding college graduates or accomplished career changers – will receive a $30,000 stipend to complete their intensive master's degree at one of the program’s partnering universities, including UC. UC’s 2014 Ohio Teaching Fellows class is 66 percent larger than its 2013 cohort.

UC’s 10 Woodrow Wilson STEM Teaching Fellows will begin a 15-month intensive, field-based master’s plus licensure degree program this summer from UC’s School of Education and were selected after a thorough application and interview process. They will prepare for mathematics and science teaching positions in Ohio’s high-need schools and commit to teach for at least three years in such schools upon graduation, with ongoing support and mentoring.

Aimed at enhancing the design of teacher education programs and fostering partnerships among institutions of higher education and high-need school districts, the program teaches Fellows to master innovative education approaches for the STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine) fields.

Of the 2014 Ohio Teaching Fellows, 59 percent majored in the sciences, 25 percent in mathematics, and 13 percent in engineering. Two Fellows majored in business with subsequent additional coursework in mathematics. Sample fields include bioengineering, nanomaterials, behavioral neuroscience, wildlife biology, meteorology, and more. Those Fellows coming to UC bring special skills and an unwavering commitment to helping others as well.

“We are thrilled to welcome our new class of Woodrow Wilson Fellows to UC,” said Helen Meyer, education professor and director of UC’s Fusion STEM Education Center. “Their preparation, combined with their unique experiences and abilities, will help improve learning outcomes for students across Ohio for years to come.”

With support from faculty mentors in UC’s College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services, UC’s McMicken College of Arts and Sciences, and UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science, Fellows learn alongside practicing secondary mathematics and science teachers. They also take courses that emphasize integrating engineering ideas and practices into mathematics and science instruction. Special sessions in technology use, understanding the new common core standards, and other important topics are integrated into coursework through the summer. Once they are placed in classrooms, Fellows are fully integrated into the school and class, from lesson and unit planning, to classroom management, grading, and meeting with parents.

“We are proud to play an active role in invigorating teacher education programs and offer these bright future educators an advanced program where they can thrive,” said Lawrence J. Johnson, Dean of CECH. “This program and its participants are reflective of CECH’s collective commitment to fostering positive change in the community and helping others.”

The 2014 UC Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellows are:

• Ronald Apke – Apke earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from UC in 2014 and has served as a basketball coach and manager, as well as a tutor and camp counselor.
• Lennex Cowan – Cowan graduated from Howard University in 2014 with a dual degree in mathematics and Afro-American studies. Cowan interned at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and has been a teaching assistant and tutor for many different courses. Cowan also volunteered with an international exchange research institute in Eastern Africa and held various leadership positions with student organizations.
• Keith Cox – Cox is an alumnus of UC. He graduated in 2014 from the biological science program and has served as a tutor and learning assistant. Cox was a member of several club sport teams and is a marathon runner and rock climber. 
• Jaron Fischer – Fischer graduated from Wright State University in 2013 with a degree in mathematics. Fischer has volunteered for youth football camp, the Special Olympics, and a high-need elementary school, and has worked in various professional services organizations. 
• Audrey Markovic – Markovic is a 2010 graduate from Pennsylvania State University’s mechanical engineering program. Markovic has been a volunteer math tutor, private GED tutor, application engineer, software consultant and trainer, mentor, and Penn State Blue Band choir member and clarinetist.
• Patricia Niehaus – Niehaus graduated from The University of Toledo in 1997 with a degree in mathematics. She has been a classroom helper for a K–8 school, customer interaction supervisor, and claims and repairs supervisor. She also served as a math tutor and in other volunteer roles.
• Cynthia Rogers – Rogers earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology/behavioral neuroscience from Wright State University in 2010. She has worked as a supplemental instructor in general psychology, a lab assistant, and has been a facilitator for Psychology of Incarceration, a program for teaching cognitive and behavioral changes.
• Michael Sullivan – Sullivan earned his bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1993 and his master’s degree from the University of Iowa in 1995, both in anthropology. He has experience as a teaching assistant, graduate research assistant, and substitute mathematics teacher. He is also a United States Army veteran, volunteer religious education teacher, and world traveler.
• Rachel Vargo – Vargo earned her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology/health from Miami University in 2012. She has been a veterinary assistant for an exotic animal hospital, mentor, and member of multiple academic honoraries. She is also a marathoner and avid reader with many interests.
• Emmalyne Wyatt – Wyatt graduated from Transylvania University in 2014 with a dual degree in mathematics and Spanish. Wyatt has studied abroad in Spain, traveled to more than eight different countries and is involved in many organizations and volunteer activities.