Elementary Education major receives 2014 Mississippi Professional Educators' Award
DeAnte' V. Spann, a rising senior elementary education major, was selected to receive the Mississippi Professional Educators' (MPE) Student Scholarship for 2014.
Informed by MPE Executive Director Kelly Riley about his award, she congratuled Spann by stating in her letter, “We hope that the scholarship will assist you in the completion of your degree and offset any additional expenses associated with student teaching. I encourage you to continue to be active in the profession and in your association with MPE.”
This year’s nine scholarship winners were recognized at 7:00 p.m. on April 11, 2014, at The Hilton in Jackson, Mississippi. At this scholarship banquet, Spann had the opportunity to create dialogue among peers within the education field. Scholarship recipients were also given the opportunity to attend MPE's 2014 Best Practices Symposium on April 12.
Spann received a $500 scholarship and also a complimentary membership to MPE his first year of teaching.
Spann stated, " I am so glad that I was a recipient of the MPE scholarship. It definitely plays a part in supporting my endeavors within the field of education. Furthermore, I definitely plan to stay active within my membership of MPE.
Dr. Malinda Butler, chair of the Department of Education, said, “Spann is an excellent choice for the MPE Award. He consistently demonstrates a strong work ethic and a dedication to success. Spann’s efforts have produced high quality results time and time again. He has made us proud, as his professors and mentors, and we are sure he will continue to do so as he grows in his program and beyond.”
Another accomplishment by Spann was getting accepted into the Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) at the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign. Spann will soon be departing Mississippi to conduct his second independent research study. It's within this nine-week program that Spann will have the opportunity to partner with faculty within the College of Education, attend seminars, participate in college bowl, luncheons, and much more.
“I am so excited to travel to UIUC this summer to conduct research study with outstanding faculty,” shared Spann. “It will be my second summer doing research as I participated in the Ronald McNair Program at the University of Mississippi in 2013. This experience has taught me well and set the foundation for my future research activities.”
Dr. Jan Duncan, director of field experiences and student teaching and associate professor in the Department of Education at Alcorn, shared, “Spann is an outstanding educator and displays a desire to make a difference in today’s classroom. I feel this opportunity will enhance his future career goals and personal aspirations. He performs well in presenting professional information during meetings, and he will certainly be an asset to any program that involves professionalism and academic success."
