The final step from teacher candidate to classroom teacher is a critical one. Clinical internships, or “student teaching,” provide College of Charleston teacher education majors with the most intensive assignments of their college careers.

Chuck and Sara Davis are donating $250,000 to ensure this critical step is a successful one. The Jeremy Warren Vann Scholarships for future teachers provide financial support to teacher education majors during their clinical internships, practicing in context what they learned in their education coursework.

“Clinical internships are a vital component of teacher education, but they are unpaid and full-time commitments, making financial resources tight for these students,” says Fran Welch, dean of the School of Education, Heath, and Human Performance at the College of Charleston. “We are so grateful to the Davis’ generous support of the next generation of superior teachers for South Carolina.”

Previous Jeremy's Scholarship recipients at the 2013 Gala

Previous Jeremy’s Scholarship recipients at the 2013 Gala

In addition to the gift, the Chuck and Sara Calhoun Davis Foundation and the College’s School of Education, Health, and Human Performance host Jeremy’s Gala at the Lighthouse on the Creek in Mt. Pleasant (Shem Creek) every year. This Thursday, April 17, 2014, marks the seventh year of the Gala, which features live entertainment as well as a live and silent auction. Proceeds from the gala provide additional scholarship support for future teachers.

 RELATED: Learn more about Jeremy’s Gala.

“Not only is the gala a great party and terrific fundraiser, it’s also a wonderful opportunity for us to catch up with past recipient of Jeremy’s Scholarship, many of whom are now successful teachers, principals and doctoral candidates,” says Sara Davis.

To date, Jeremy’s Scholarships have provided 25 students financial support during their clinical internships, growing from one scholarship per year to three in 2013-2014 and now to four in 2014-2015.

 RELATED: See available scholarships in the School of Education, Health, and Human Performance.

The 2013-2014 academic year recipients include:

Sarah Chrzanowski is an undergraduate student from Charleston aspiring to become an elementary school teacher. She has many years of experience working with young children in various settings and has committed her time to volunteering at the Family Cup Circle for the past 11 years.

Azikiwe Chandler is a graduate student pursuing a Master’s of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education. He has extensive experience working with students through service in AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps. He plans to use these experiences to reach disadvantaged or at-risk students in Charleston’s Title I schools.

Edgar “Chopper” Johnson is an undergraduate student, pursuing dual majors in Secondary Education and History. He is a member of both the Teacher Leader Program and Kappa Delta Pi educational honor society.

The Jeremy Warren Vann Scholarship was established in memory of Jeremy, a graduate of the College of Charleston who aspired to teach disadvantaged Native American Students. Tragically, Jeremy’s life was cut short by a car accident before he could fulfill his dream of becoming a teacher. In memory of their son Jeremy, Chuck and Sara Davis created the Chuck and Sara Calhoun Davis Foundation to provide semester long scholarships to prospective teachers so they may realize Jeremy’s dream.

For more information, contact Sara Perry at seperry@cofc.edu.