{"id":215715,"date":"2024-06-26T07:30:27","date_gmt":"2024-06-26T11:30:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=215715"},"modified":"2024-06-27T09:53:15","modified_gmt":"2024-06-27T13:53:15","slug":"25-years-as-neag-improving-access-to-education-through-scholarships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2024\/06\/25-years-as-neag-improving-access-to-education-through-scholarships\/","title":{"rendered":"25 Years as Neag: Improving Access to Education Through Scholarships"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s note: This year, the Neag School of Education is celebrating 25 years as the Neag School and publishing a series of articles chronicling Ray and Carole Neag\u2019s impact on the School. This article is the fourth in the series<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

The late Ray Neag\u00a0 \u201956 (CLAS), \u201901 (HON) believed that education is society\u2019s \u201cgreat equalizer.\u201d A product of public education, Ray made a strategic investment in UConn\u2019s School of Education 25 years ago, with the hope of repaying what his teachers and schools did for him and of building a brighter future for children.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe most life-changing aspect of Ray and Carole\u2019s gift \u2013 in my opinion \u2013 is the scholarship funds they established themselves through the endowment or inspired others to create,\u201d Dean Jason G. Irizarry says. \u201cThe Ray Neag Endowment Fund and the Neag Foundation Scholarship for the Neag School IB\/M Program support dozens of students each year, ensuring higher education is accessible to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

In general, the Neag School continues to increase the scholarship dollars it gives to students each year. Since 2020 alone, it has more than doubled the amount of scholarship funding awarded to students from all scholarship funds \u2013 from about $267,000 to over $536,000. Megan Lester \u201923 (ED), \u201924 MA; RayQuiner Hills ’18 (CLAS), ’22 MA; and Mhret Wondmagegne \u201923 (ED), \u201924 MA are three such students, now alumni, who have benefited from the generosity of benefactors such as the Neags.<\/p>\n

\"Megan
\u201cI wanted to give back to that community. I knew that if I was going to be a teacher, I wanted to do special education,” says Megan Lester ’23 (ED), ’24 MA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lester, who recently finished her master\u2019s year of the Neag School\u2019s Integrated Bachelor\u2019s\/Master\u2019s teacher preparation program, is excited about her upcoming transition from intern at Windsor High School in Connecticut to teacher at \u00a0Voorhees High School in New Jersey. Her path to teaching was not merely a career choice but a heartfelt commitment inspired by her cousin, who has Down syndrome.<\/p>\n

Growing up in Dunellen, New Jersey, Lester says her cousin\u2019s journey through special education programs and involvement in the Special Olympics profoundly influenced her decision to pursue teaching.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to give back to that community,\u201d says Lester, who coached cheerleading for disabled children during her senior year of high school. \u00a0\u201cI knew that if I was going to be a teacher, I wanted to do special education.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Neag School scholarships Lester received played a crucial role in her academic journey, providing financial relief and enabling her to focus on her studies without the burden of excessive student loans. Lester expressed deep gratitude for the support, recalling the emotional moment she received the scholarship notification: \u201cI was crying on the phone with my mom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lester is now looking forward to her new role as a special education teacher. She attributes her readiness to the comprehensive preparation she received at the Neag School. From classroom experiences to internship placements, Lester says she feels equipped to tackle teaching challenges.<\/p>\n

\u201cGiving back to future educators is important,\u201d Lester says, affirming her desire to one day support others like the Neags supported her.<\/p>\n

Hills has always been driven by a passion for education, dating back to her undergraduate studies at UConn. There, amid the sprawling campus and diverse classrooms, Hills says she discovered her calling.<\/p>\n

\"RayQuiner
\u201cScholarships make dreams possible. They\u2019re more than financial aid; they\u2019re investments in future educators and changemakers,” says RayQuiner Hills ’18 (CLAS), ’22 MA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hills says she stumbled upon a human development course as an undergraduate student pursuing an accounting major. It was a moment that altered the course of her academic journey.<\/p>\n

\u201cI fell in love,\u201d she says. \u201cI understood accounting, but teaching – it felt like home.\u201d<\/p>\n

This revelation prompted her to switch majors, diving headfirst into human development and later transitioning to the Neag School after finishing her bachelor\u2019s degree. Her journey wasn\u2019t without financial strain. With the Neag School\u2019s Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates requiring a full-time commitment, Hills leaned heavily on student loans. The economic burden weighed heavily on her until she received a letter bearing the news that she received a scholarship from the Neag School.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt felt like a lifeline,\u201d Hills says. \u201cTo have that financial burden lifted, even just a bit – it made all the difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

Raised by her father who earned his GED while incarcerated, Hills deeply desired to make a difference in similar settings. This led to her pursuing a role as a special education teacher within the Connecticut Department of Corrections, a teaching environment with its own unique challenges and rewards.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s different,\u201d Hills says. \u201cBut it\u2019s where I\u2019m meant to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her classroom is not traditional; instead, it resembles a cubicle, partitioned to accommodate various educational needs. Hills employs a flexible approach, adapting lessons to meet individual student requirements while fostering a safe and conducive learning environment.<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, Hills envisions a future where she could pay forward the support she received.<\/p>\n

\u201cScholarships make dreams possible,\u201d she says. \u201cThey\u2019re more than financial aid; they\u2019re investments in future educators and changemakers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Having recently finished the master\u2019s program in curriculum and instruction at the Neag School of Education, Wondmagegne is passionate about teaching and appreciates the scholarships that supported her.<\/p>\n

\"Mhret
\u201cI couldn\u2019t imagine myself doing anything else but teaching, especially after my junior year, getting my first experience in the classroom,\u201d says Mhret Wondmagegne ’23 (ED), ’24 MA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always loved playing the role of a teacher,\u201d Wondmagegne says. \u201cEver since I was a kid, I would teach my younger sister what I learned in school.\u201d<\/p>\n

This early passion was nurtured through high school, where she worked at daycare centers. Despite pursuing journalism in college initially, Wondmagegne found herself drawn back to teaching.<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t imagine myself doing anything else but teaching, especially after my junior year, getting my first experience in the classroom,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Her journey wasn\u2019t without its challenges. Moving to the United States from Ethiopia at age 9, Wondmagegne faced the daunting task of learning English.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know much English when I first came,\u201d she says. \u201cIt was a big challenge, but the amazing teachers I had in Ledyard, Connecticut, made all the difference. They cared about me, both as a student and a new learner.\u201d<\/p>\n

These experiences fueled her desire to become a teacher who can similarly impact her students: \u201cSeeing how a child can achieve great things when they have someone who believes in them and supports them motivates me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now Wondmagegne is preparing for her first teaching position, as a second-grade teacher at Columbia Elementary in Annandale, Virginia.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a relief to know what I\u2019m going to do post-graduation,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019m excited to be close to family, just 20 minutes away.\u201d<\/p>\n

It’s all possible thanks to the scholarship support Wondmagegne received from the Neags\u2019 funds.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wish Ray and Carole Neag could see their impact,\u201d she says. \u201cTheir generosity has inspired me to be generous, whether with finances, time, or resources. Investing in people through giving supports society later on. It\u2019s an act of kindness that can significantly impact students\u2019 lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

To learn more about the UConn Neag School of Education, visit education.uconn.edu<\/a>\u00a0and follow the Neag School on\u00a0Instagram<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0X<\/a>, and\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Ray Neag Endowment Fund and the Neag Foundation Scholarship for the Neag School IB\/M Program support dozens of students each year, and have inspired many other donors to establish scholarship funds as well<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":198680,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2426,2427,2428,2424,1855],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[1879],"class_list":["post-215715","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-curriculum-instruction","category-educational-leadership","category-educational-psychology","category-neag-community-engagement","category-neag"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-06 04:06:43","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/215715","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=215715"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/215715\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":215822,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/215715\/revisions\/215822"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/198680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=215715"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=215715"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=215715"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=215715"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=215715"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}