Hattie M. Strong Foundation scholarships pave the way for six emerging teachers

For education majors, the final semester of college brings more than just the excitement of counting down to graduation. It offers the opportunity to be immersed in the classroom as a teacher full-time, which may create financial burdens for students who need to work.

With significantly less time available for part-time jobs, many teaching students are left questioning how they will make ends meet. For six exceptional students, the answer is a $5,000 scholarship.

The Hattie M. Strong Foundation scholarship is designed for future teachers who need extra financial support to get to the finish line. On March 23, the Patricia Langford Roughton Teaching Resources Center hosted a dinner for the recipients to celebrate their hard work and give them an opportunity to express their gratitude for the scholarship. The students prepared a presentation outlining how they benefited from the scholarship in their placement which they presented for their mentor professors, loved ones and honored guest Robin Tanner, executive director of the Hattie M. Strong Foundation.

Kimberly Nolasco-Ramos '25, a first-generation college student and the first high school graduate in her family, received the Hattie M. Strong scholarship for the fall 2025 semester. "I'm very grateful for it because I was no longer stressed about how I was going to get through my very last semester," she says. Nolasco-Ramos is currently employed as a long-term substitute teacher for a first-grade classroom at Roanoke City Schools.

Jocelyn Hunter, a senior secondary social studies major from Vinton, Virginia, has been dreaming of becoming a teacher for as long as she can remember.

"When I was younger, I would force my twin sister to play school with me. We would spend 7.5 hours a day in school, and then we'd go back home, and I'd make her do it all over again."

Today, she is less demanding of her students.

"Before this semester, I was always working, usually one or two jobs just trying to pay my rent and fund my caffeine habit," Hunter says. However, with the time commitment of student teaching, Hunter would be unable to continue those part-time positions. "Because of your support, I have been able to focus on my placement, grow as an educator and fully invest in my students."

Recipients of the Hattie M. Strong scholarship must have a 3.0 GPA or better for the two semesters prior to student teaching; exhibit outstanding success and enthusiasm in previous field experiences; show strong leadership skills; and demonstrate financial need. Recipients must intend to pursue a career in teaching. Preference is provided to applicants with a demonstrated record of helping others help themselves.

Radford University has been a beneficiary of the Hattie M. Strong Foundation since 2011 and is one of 24 institutions whose teacher candidates are supported through this program.

This year's Radford University recipients are:

• Holly Silva, elementary education
• Kimberly Nolasco-Ramos, elementary education
• Jocelyn Hunter, secondary social studies
• Keily Monday, special education general curriculum
• Constence Carico, elementary education
• Kiara Salvador, early childhood special education