Pionero Scholars Program

Creating a local pipeline of teacher candidates who plan to teach in the Nashville area community.

The Pionero Scholars Program is a scholarship and outreach program at Lipscomb that seeks to increase the number of local students who enroll at Lipscomb, with the long-term goal of creating a local pipeline of students returning to teach in their home communities.

Recruiting teachers in general must become a focus for Colleges of Education – enrollment in teacher preparation programs is at its lowest point in 45 years. ⁽¹⁾ Each year Metro Nashville begins the school year with over 100 empty classrooms as there is a mismatch between teachers graduating with degrees and the needs of the district.

In Metro Nashville Public Schools, only 20% of teachers in 2015-2016 were male. ⁽²⁾ In terms of racial & ethnic diversity nationwide, while the numbers have steadily improved, nationwide teachers of color only make up 17% of the workforce. Meanwhile, the population of students of color is growing even faster – minority students now account for more than half of all public school students. ⁽²⁾ Also, almost one in four (12 million) schoolchildren ages 5 to 17 speak a language other than English at home, according to an analysis of census figures. ⁽³⁾ In Nashville, we are home to a vibrant and rapidly growing immigrant and refugee population, with sizeable communities of Kurdish, Egyptian, Mexican, Central American, Somali, Sudanese, Burmese, Thai, Laotian, and other nationalities from around the world. There are over 24,000 English Language Learners in Metro Nashville Public Schools, and the most diverse high school in the state of Tennessee, Overton High School, boasts over 60 languages spoken. ⁽⁴⁾

Research has demonstrated that as a teacher population in a school becomes more diverse, all students in the school show positive gains in test scores, attention, retention, and college persistence. (Pitts, 2007). We believe that local students who grew up in Nashville have a unique perspective on working in communities with so much religious, ethnic, nationality, income, and linguistic diversity. We believe that local students, regardless of their own background, will ready to hit the ground running as teachers, confident in the context and strengths of their community.

Sources:
*NEA Today March 2016, IncluCivics Report by Metro Nashville Human Relations Commission, Shanker Institute Report, The Tennessean

Pionero Scholarship

About the Scholarship & Qualifications

About the Scholarship

Each year, the Pionero Scholars Program awards three to six students an academic merit renewable scholarships of up to $10,000 per student. In order to be considered, students must meet the listed qualifications and complete the application and interview process listed here on our website.

During their undergraduate career, Pionero students participate in fun group activities, receive academic support, and are provided with an on-campus upperclassmen mentor as well as a faculty mentor. As upperclassmen, Pionero students receive a mentor that is a current or former classroom teacher to help them navigate Education specific courses and decisions.

To maintain the scholarship, Pionero students must maintain a 3.0 GPA and meet program requirements such as attendance in group meetings, support with recruitment events with the Pionero Program, and complete 5 service hours per semester.

Applicant Qualifications

Students must:

Be a graduate of a public high school in Nashville, Cheatham, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Wilson, or Williamson counties
Have an interest in being a future teacher
Be a US citizen, permanent resident, DACAmented, or other status with work authorization
Be admitted to Lipscomb University

Preference will be given to:

students with a socio-economic disadvantage, taking into consideration such factors as the net income and net worth of the student's parents or guardian(s); the occupation(s) of the student’s parents or guardian(s); the structure of the student’s family, the academic quality of the secondary school from which the student graduated, and the quality and average income level of the neighborhood in which the student’s family lives;
students who are among the first generation in their family to attend college; and
students who are under-represented in the Lipscomb student body population.

Apply

The Pionero scholarship invites students graduating from a public high school in Davidson, Cheatham, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Wilson, or Williamson counties to apply!

You can apply for the Pionero scholarship along with other College of Education scholarships through the Lipscomb Educator Scholars process! This streamlined process means you apply once and are then evaluated for all scholarships the College of Education has for which you may be eligible!

Each student is asked to:

Submit an online application through the Lipscomb Educator Scholars single-application process.
If requested, submit a supplemental short essay

Apply Now

Please note that students who have NOT submitted a complete application to Lipscomb for general admission when the Selection Committee meets cannot be considered for the scholarship.

Meet your Recruiter

Pionero holds a special place in my heart, not only as the Scholars Recruiter, but as a Pionero Alumni. When I was a student here, Pionero helped me in ways I will always be grateful for. After graduating from Lipscomb, I went on to teach for 3 years in MNPS, so I have an educational and professional background that helps me be a resource for future students. Pionero opened the door to my educational experience and teaching experience as a whole. This scholarship is more than just financial aid, it is a community of students and staff who are dedicated to bringing resources and experiences into the classroom. As a first generation student myself, I know it can get stressful navigating through college. I am beyond excited to extend my helping hand to future generations of Pioneros - whether that be helping you submit your college application to helping you draft your essay or filling out FAFSA or even finding your classes. Never be embarrassed to ask for my help. My job is made for you, so use me as a resource whenever possible. Thank you for letting me be a part of your college experience! I am so thrilled to work alongside you!

In appreciation,
Alondra Piña

Meet your Program Director

Thank you for your interest in Pionero Scholars! This initiative by Lipscomb began in the fall of 2015, with the support of a local foundation. Our long-term goal is to create a “grow -your-own” pipeline and graduate more local teachers returning to teach in Metro Nashville Public Schools. We believe that the best way to recruit future teachers is to create a local pipeline of students who have grown up in Nashville and understand our local context.

That’s because Nashville is a unique place! We are a gorgeous melting pot of diversity with large student populations from African-American, Latino, Egyptian, and Somali backgrounds as well as many other immigrant and refugee communities. In the Pionero Scholars Program, we want to increase the number of our students who are local and grew up with this amazing diversity. As a Cuban-American, I deeply believe in the importance of having adults in schools who understand the variety of student cultures, religions, and languages and help every student feel they have the ability to be successful. I had the fortune to engage in activities and camps as a teenager that helped me develop my own sense of Latinidad, but there were few mentors for me in my formalized education. We believe that local students will enter buildings ready for the work and with a deep understanding of the unique strengths of Nashvillians as well as the barriers students face.

At Pionero, we are a mini family and a community. We eat together, study together, and grow together. We explore Nashville, go canoeing, and challenge ourselves to grow intellectually. We want our students to be successful both in college, as individual human beings, and in their careers in the future. There are many extra supports for Pionero students - each Pionero receives a faculty or staff mentor in their first two years, and a current teacher mentor in their second two years. Pioneros also have mentoring opportunities with older Pioneros and upperclassmen. As your Program Director, I am here for any and every question you might have. Please don’t hesitate to ask me - there is no stupid question!

If you are an interested student or community member, please reach out! I look forward to meeting you.

Gracias,
Laura Delgado
Program Director

College of Education, Undergrad

Laura Delgado
Program Director, Lipscomb Educator Scholars

laura.delgado@lipscomb.edu

Meet Our Scholars

Josue

Meet Josue! He is a graduate Independence Academy High School, majoring in English secondary education. Josue is a Cuban refugee; he and his family came to the United States when he was in middle school. Energetic and intellectual, Josue loves meeting people, thinking about life, and exploring new topics. He is always eager to plug into new adventures and to build new relationships.

Alondra G.

Meet Alondra! Shy and kind, Alondra is a determined student who gives her whole heart to any endeavor. A graduate of Cane Ridge High School, Alondra is looking forward to being an elementary teacher. She loves the creativity you can use in classrooms to help students learn from the world around them, and she can’t wait to help her community by mentoring students and encouraging immigrant families to have a voice in the American education system. She remembers the difficulties of the move to the US when her family moved from Mexico and she is planning to be the welcoming host her family so deeply appreciated when she was in elementary.

Marcos

Meet Marcos! He is a creative, determined Glencliff High School graduate. He is one of two sets of cousins in Pionero! His older cousin Ruby inspired him and he impatiently waited for the moment he could apply for Pionero. Marcos throws himself into everything he does with his whole heart. He was President of Best Buddies in high school on top of a part-time job and his involvement in pretty much every other activity that existed. Marcos plans to be a high school Biology teacher because he finds it fulfilling to spend his days at school helping others. He likens education to a bridge across a river and knows what it’s like to be stuck on one side feeling hopeless about crossing. He will be the bridge for his future students and a role model that they will figure it out.

Fatima

Meet Fatima! She is a graduate of MLK High School and a PreK-3 and Special Education double major. Thoughtful, creative, and sensitive, Fatima loves animals, small children, and helping others. She is fascinated by psychology and child development and is good at finding joy and wonder in the everyday world. Teaching runs in her family; her older sister Elisa was a member of Cohort 1 of the Pionero Scholars and Fatima is excited to follow in her sister’s footsteps!

Sandra

Meet Sandra! She is a graduate of LEAD Academy High School and still determining what she wants to teach, though she is focused on middle school. She is the first in her family to go to college and determined to make the most of it! Taking care of others is something she just has a natural inclination for; she has two little sisters at home that she is always taking care of and has a part time job as a CRN at a retirement home. She is shy, but when she opens up she has so much to say and so much to contribute to the world!

Layla

Meet Layla! She is a graduate of Antioch High School and an English Teaching major. She is the oldest of five siblings and the first in her immediate family to attend college in the US. She is expressive and open-minded, and loved art and creative writing in high school, as well as volunteering at her mosque. College is a big adventure for her and she is still determining what experiences to take advantage of and how to find her place in the world. She is a critical thinker who loves discussing and analyzing ideas, and she wants to be a role model for other girls in her community.

Britney

Meet Britney! She is a graduate of Knowledge Academies and a K-5 and Special Education double major. Britney was always helping in her high school community as well as with her family and community – she was on several student committees and babysits her little brother and her neighbor’s kids. She is persistent and independent; her curiosity leads her to sign up for new things and not be afraid to adventure out a little bit. Britney had a particularly special 7th grade math teacher who a mentor and a friend and made school cool and fun; she is ready to do the same for all her future students!

Jillian

Meet Jillian! She’s a future English teacher who loves getting involved and helping others. She loves to volunteer at a local elementary school, and attend events on campus. She has a love for classical music because she used to play an instrument. She may be quiet at first, but she is an inquisitive soul at heart who likes meeting new people and understanding what makes them work. In another life, she would have made an excellent journalist. She’s approachable and kind and her future students will love her!

Emily

Meet Emily! Emily graduated from Smyrna High School and had the joy of interning at Smyrna Primary through her Teaching as a Profession class. She fell in love with the kids and loved seeing them grow and get excited about new topics. Emily can sometimes be shy but she has a lot of ideas about how to make the world a better place and the determination to keep going until we get there. She deeply cares about having more kindness in the world and she starts with herself and trying to shed a little love every day to those around her.

Katerina

Meet Katerina! She is our resident perfectionist and academic. She’s a diligent student who is quietly getting everything done and making sure its done right. She’s a homebody at heart because she loves her home and her family and all the support she received in school along the way. She can’t wait to return and teach in her home district - she knows how much she struggled to find her own sense of confidence as a shy child, and she wants every student to be able to see their own strengths in her classroom.

Kimberly

Meet Kimberly! She is incredibly hard working and responsible; she’s basically the mother hen of her year mates. She is always on top of all her work and making sure that everyone is doing okay too. She really cares about making school a fun place to be so that students are excited to come to school. She remembers struggling as a young English Learner and she wants to ensure all of her students feel welcomed and included. She knows how important she will be as a bilingual teacher and she can’t wait to be the teacher who makes every immigrant student and family feel safe at school.

Leslie

Meet Leslie! She is quiet, determined, and hard-working. She loves elementary students and manages to keep her peace and calm presence depsite the chaos around her. She finds their antics adorable which shows why she was meant to work with littles. She loves all things psychology and human development, and is eager to apply all that she’s learning about people and how the brain works to her future classroom.

Nayeli

Meet Nayeli! She can be shy but she has a lovely smile once she opens up. She manages to make her way gracefully through life without complaining or stirring up trouble. She is kindness embodied. She will be an amazing role model for her future elementary students on how to work hard and persevere. She is rightfully proud of all that she has accomplished to make it to college and to succeed here at Lipscomb.

Ana

Meet Ana! Ana is a bright and excited future elementary teacher. Ana is creative and has many ideas; she is full of optimism about the future in a way that is absolutely contagious. Ana is an inquisitive person with lots of questions, and she is so good at making everyone immediately feel known and cared for. Her future elementary students will love her, and will feel confident they have a teacher who cares for them and makes every day fun.

Genesis

Meet Genesis! Genesis is a dedicated and hard-working student and future elementary teacher. Genesis has known she wanted to be a teacher since she was little; she had a hard time in Kindergarten and went home to tell her mom that one day she would be a teacher and make sure that all kids enjoyed coming to school to learn. Genesis is detail-oriented and inquisitive, and is always on top of her work and her upcoming opportunities. Outside of school she works with kids at her church and is so touched by seeing their growth and their excitement to come to class. Her enthusiasm will make sure that her future classroom is a place where students can find and embrace their own talents, and realize they can achieve anything if they work hard.

Citlali

Meet Citlali! Citlali is quiet but determined and confident in her skills as a future teacher thanks to the amazing opportunity she had in high school to take Teaching as Profession elective class with Ms. Shults at Centennial High School. In this class she was given the chance to develop activities and lesson plans and she was surprised at how capable she was when given the opportunity to shine and she realized that she should believe in herself the way that God and her family do.

Ava

Meet Ava! Ava is an empathetic, funny, and reliable future elementary teacher. Ava loved her elementary experience and can’t wait to be a mentor to her future students. Her faith is very important to her and she is seeking ways to join these two loves. She wants each of her students to feel seen and loved by her and to learn that if things don’t go as planned, that doesn’t mean it’s a failure. She herself has learned that life takes many twists and turns but that your mindset makes all the difference. She is patient and caring and can’t wait to support each child with what they uniquely need and for them to realize that they each have distinct ways of learning and pathways to their future success.

Amanda

Meet Amanda! Amanda is a sweet, determined, and enthusiastic future elementary teacher. She grew up in Florida and moved to Nashville as a teenager. She is growing to love her adopted city and excited at the opportunity to pursue a dream she has had since 5 years old: to be a teacher. She loves kids and just has big sister vibes, which isn’t hard given she is a big sister! She has been teaching Sunday school at her church for several years and loves the chance this has given her to see the power of education to make her students come alive.