Two SWT students awarded prestigious Rockefeller Fellowships

SAN MARCOS — The Rockefeller Brothers Fund has named two Southwest Texas State University students recipients of the 2003 Fellowships for minority students entering the teaching profession.

Anthropology major Danielle Alvarado of San Antonio and communications major Roxanne Lopez of Crystal City are the SWT students earning the Rockefeller Fellowships. Since 1997, a total of nine SWT students have received Rockefeller Fellowships: Raul Gonzalez, Nora Perez, Coretta Doss, Maria Tinajero, Lisa Jefferson, Stefanie Sierra, Patrice Resse, Danielle Alvarado and Roxanne Lopez. The Rockefeller Brothers Fund did not award fellowships from 1998-2000.

The pair were among 25 students representing 14 institutions to earn the honor. Students designated as Rockefeller fellows are eligible for scholarship grants totaling up to $22,100 beginning in their junior year and ending after that Fellow has established a career as a public school classroom teacher.

Initially, Rockefeller fellows receive grants of $2,500 during the summer of their junior years to undertake projects related to teaching. Following graduation, they can receive awards of $12,000 to $16,000 for full-time graduate work in teacher education or related fields. Upon completion of graduate work, Fellows are eligible for loan repayments of $1,200 annually for each of the first three continuous years the Fellow serves as a public school classroom teacher.

To be eligible for the Rockefeller awards, students must be enrolled in one of the 28 colleges and universities chosen to participate in the program. Those institutions have shown a record of commitment to the education of minorities and have the stated goal of improving teaching in public schools. Participating universities may nominate up to three students.

Rockefeller fellows are selected based on academic performance, written and oral communication skills and commitment to public service.