Scholarships

Scholarship Selection Process for Wheaton College Awarded Scholarships

The criteria for each of these scholarships may vary, but recipients for the following scholarships must be accepted into WheTEP. Faculty members of the Department of Education, in consultation with the Office of Financial Aid, apply the criteria to the applicants. Applications are available through the Department of Education in February of each year.

Scholarships are available to students who have already been accepted into WheTEP. 

Criteria for selection:

• GPA
• Strength of essay
• Disposition referrals
• Contributions to Wheaton College and/or the community

Access the Department of Education Scholarship Application 

Wheaton College Merit Based Scholarships

The Dorothy B. Dixon Merit Scholarship 
Awarded to undergraduate teacher candidates  

The Dorothy B. Dixon Merit Scholarship fund was started in 1983. This remarkable woman was the founder and director emeritus of the Grace Brethren Christian School in Temple Hills, Maryland. The school began in 1965 as a small day care center and she retired in 1987 when over 1,000 students were enrolled in pre-school through 12th grade. Dr. Paula Martinez, one of her daughters, was a faculty member of the Department of Education at Wheaton College until 1995. This scholarship is awarded each year to undergraduate teacher candidates who show promise as future teachers. 

The Egeland Scholarship 
Awarded to undergraduate or graduate teacher candidates 

With the retirement of Paul Egeland, Associate Professor Emeritus and Chair of the Education Department, this scholarship was established by the Egelands in thanksgiving for the impact the Wheaton Teacher Education Program graduates are having on the K-12 students around the world. Recipients must be accepted into WheTEP, demonstrate academic strength, intend to teach after graduation, plan to complete one or more endorsements beyond the initial educator license, and possess a global perspective. Awards will be made regardless of financial need. 

The Fadenrecht Memorial Fund 
Awarded to undergraduate or graduate teacher candidates 

The Fadenrecht Memorial Fund was established in 2008 in memory of and based on the preferences of Rose Fadenrecht and is not restricted to students with financial need. This memorial provides scholarship funds for undergraduate or graduate teacher candidates. 

The Wayne "Coach" Gordon Scholarship 
Awarded to undergraduate teacher candidates who desire to teach in an urban setting 

The Wayne "Coach" Gordon Scholarship was originally established for students majoring in the field of physical education, but is now open to other licensure areas. Wayne Gordon, ’74 worked and lived in the North Lawndale community throughout his career in teaching and investing in the lives of his students and neighbors. This scholarship provides funds for teacher candidates desiring to teach in urban settings. An additional essay is required for this scholarship. 

The Ann Haskins Special Education Scholarship 
Awarded to undergraduate or graduate teacher candidates seeking the Special Education Endorsement 

The Ann Haskins Scholarship is a result of a 2014 generous grant from The Ann Haskins Foundation to Wheaton College. This scholarship is awarded to students based on merit and potential for professional contribution. This professional contribution is intended to positively impact individuals with disabilities and their families through educational service delivery and systems change efforts. An additional essay is required for this scholarship. 

The Ruth Berg Leedy Excellence in Education Fund 
Awarded to an undergraduate senior female teacher candidate 

The Ruth Berg Leedy Excellence in Education Fund was originally established for students majoring in the field of physical education, but is now open to other licensure areas. The recipient must be a senior female who demonstrates leadership qualities, has clear evidence of mature Christian graces, and has a strong potential for making a significant contribution to young people through her teaching. 

The Astrid A. Nerhus Merit Education Scholarship 
Awarded to undergraduate or graduate teacher candidates 

Astrid Nerhus was an outstanding Chicago Public School teacher for 31 years, teaching biology first at the high school level and then teaching 6th grade science, math and literacy for the majority of her career. She and her husband, Raymond, raised three daughters who all graduated from Wheaton College's teacher education program in music education or elementary education and later completed degrees in special education in the areas of deaf education, learning disabilities, and social/emotional disorders. To honor her contribution to the field of public education, her family established an annual merit-based scholarship in her memory in 2018. Recipients must be accepted into WheTEP, have a minimum GPA of 3.3, and demonstrate an exemplary disposition toward teaching. 

The Kenneth Roughton Memorial Scholarship 
Awarded to undergraduate or graduate teacher candidates 

The Kenneth Roughton Memorial Scholarship benefits any undergraduate or graduate teacher candidate identified as having excellent potential as a teacher. 

Need Based Scholarships

The Robert Locke Cooke Memorial Scholarship 
Awarded to undergraduate teacher candidates who have financial need 

Robert Locke Cooke served as Chairman of the Department of Education and Psychology from 1941-1955, and from 1945-1955 also served as Chairman of the Division of Education at Wheaton College. As a lasting tribute to his memory, friends established a scholarship fund to be used in aiding worthy education students who have financial need, which was always his deep concern throughout his Wheaton ministry. Recipients need to show proven scholarship and exemplary character. This scholarship is restricted to undergraduate teacher candidates. 

The Helen McLendon Ewert Memorial Scholarship 
Awarded to undergraduate or graduate secondary education teacher candidates who have financial need 

The Helen McLendon Ewert Memorial Scholarship fund was begun in 1978, one year after she died of cancer. During the years prior to this time, Helen McLendon Ewert worked tirelessly with secondary English students as a member of the Education Department at Wheaton College. During graduate school she was an active member and strong supporter of Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship. Her efforts and experiences as a summer counselor and later as a board member also benefited the Pioneer Girls Organization. Her husband, Dr. Norman Ewert, Professor of Economics at Wheaton College, and his family established this scholarship in her honor to assist in the financial needs of outstanding undergraduate or graduate secondary education teacher candidates. 

The Gunzburger Education Scholarship 
Awarded to undergraduate and Accelerated Masters teacher candidates who have financial need 

The Gunzburger Education Scholarship was established for education majors who are juniors, seniors, or Accelerated M.A.T. students.  Students do not apply for this scholarship; rather the Education faculty choose the recipients based on merit and financial need. Recipients may receive this scholarship multiple years in a row if criteria are maintained. 

The Elizabeth A. Kouwe Memorial Fund 
Awarded to undergraduate elementary education teacher candidates who have financial need 

The Elise A. Kouwe Memorial Fund in Education was established in 1994 in loving memory of Elise A. Kouwe. She graduated from Wheaton College in 1980. This memorial annually provides funds for one undergraduate elementary education teacher candidate with financial need. 

The Timothy Education Scholarship Fund 
Awarded to undergraduate or graduate teacher candidates who have financial need and are interested in entering public school teaching 

The Timothy Education Scholarship Fund was established in 2006 for undergraduate or graduate teacher candidates interested in entering public school teaching. This needs-based scholarship intends to provide annual gifts of equal amounts for up to four undergraduate or graduate students. An additional essay is required for this scholarship. 

Additional External Scholarships

Listed below are scholarships available for undergraduate and graduate students seeking an Illinois educator teaching license through Wheaton College. In addition, Wheaton College offers specific information and support for fellowships and scholarships, including the Sallberg Scholarship, a merit-based award for students with financial need and majoring in Business, Education, Science or the Conservatory of Music.

Golden Apple Scholars Program

These scholarship are for freshman or sophomore aspiring teachers who are willing to teach in an Illinois school of need for 5 years after graduation

Minority Teachers of Illinois (MTI)

Scholarship program is open to students of an ethnic minority background and offers up to $5,000 per year if the recipient agrees to teach in Illinois schools with student enrollments of 30% (or more) students of color.

Illinois TESOL/Bilingual Education

Scholarships are open to students seeking bilingual and ESL endorsements and offer $1,000 for MAT students and $500 for undergraduates. Deadline: 1st Friday in January.

National Association of Bilingual Education

NABE offers an annual scholarship for those pursuing a career in bilingual education. Applicants must be accepted into WheTEP in order to apply for this $2,000 award and the application deadline is Dec. 31st.