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Due to the generosity of support from donors like you, the Cato College of Education at UNC Charlotte was able to select the first recipient of the Theresa Perez Memorial Scholarship. Below is an excerpt of the announcement.
"Transformative Leader" Selected as First Recipient of Theresa Perez Memorial Scholarship
"Lydia Fergison 09’ M.Ed., principal of North K-8 Language Academy and education doctoral student, is the first recipient of the Theresa Perez Memorial Scholarship.
Fergison, one of Perez's former students, previously served as the principal at Newell Elementary. She has successfully led previous schools to high-academic growth, and presented at state and national conferences on school leadership. She is a graduate of UNC Charlotte’s Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language program, and is currently a doctoral student in the Curriculum and Instruction program with a focus on urban literacy.
“Recipients of the Theresa Perez Memorial Scholarship must demonstrate a deep level of commitment to the promotion of equity and the advocacy for english learners. Under Dr. Perez's mentorship, Lydia dedicated her professional career to the education of immigrant children and their families,” said Lan Kolano, chair of the Department of Middle, Secondary, and K-12 Education. “As a principal, she has been a transformative leader in the promotion of social justice throughout all of the schools that she has served.”
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
I am pleased to provide you with an update on the Dr. Theresa Perez Memorial Scholarship Fund. Currently, this fund will allow the Cato College of Education to give one $1,000 award each year for the next ten years. Due to the pandemic and the ways that it impacted all of our communities, we chose not to accept applications for the award in 2020. However, we are pleased to be able to launch this scholarship program in 2021-2022 and are currently accepting applications for this award.
The selection committee will review all applications in the spring and announce the recipient this summer. Thank you again to everyone who supported this effort to honor Dr. Perez in this way. Her legacy will live on through this memorial scholarship. This fund will honor her life's work and commitment to equity and social justice in education. The first recipient of this scholarship will join a unique program that will prepare them to be transformative teacher leaders and advocates for immigrant communities in North Carolina. Again, thank you very much for your continued support of this scholarship fund.
Gratefully,
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
I am pleased to announce that we have reached our crowdfunding goal of $10,000 to create the Dr. Theresa Perez Memorial Scholarship Fund in the Cato College of Education. Thank you to everyone who supported this effort to honor Dr. Perez in this way. My colleagues and I are filled with joy to know that her legacy will live on through this memorial scholarship. This fund will honor her life's work and commitment to equity and social justice in education. Winners of this scholarship each year will join a unique program that will prepare them to be transformative teacher leaders and advocates for immigrant communities in North Carolina.
Currently, this fund will allow the Cato College of Education to give one $1,000 award each year for the next ten years. Join us now in reaching our new goal of $25,000 to fully endow this memorial scholarship fund in honor of Dr. Perez.
Gratefully,
Lan
Lan Kolano, Ph.D. | Professor
UNC Charlotte | Cato College of Education Dept. of Middle, Secondary, and K-12 Education
