Purpose

What is the purpose of Future Woodring Scholars?

Ultimately, the goal of Future Woodring Scholars is to: 

  • Build a cohesive professional learning community 

  • Build student confidence when interacting with staff/faculty  

  • Foster a community of people that are passionate about educational liberation and human services practices  

  • Build the foundation of people’s passion for education and community engagement  

Students who participate in the Future Woodring Scholars program should consider themselves agents of change who: 

  • Understand the institutional and systematic barriers that are put in place to marginalize specific peoples

  • Develop critical thinking skills

  • Have the skills to navigate the institution and teacher/human services pathways  

  • Understand professionalism and demonstrate a strong work ethic 

  • Understand personal positionality and privilege to be able to asses our identities inside and outside of the classroom  

  • Think critically about spaces and power structures that they’re in  

  • Understanding how THEY learn best, using that to shape their college experience

Students who participate in the Future Woodring Scholars program will benefit by: 

  • Being in a community of future educators/human service professionals who are passionate about education. 

    • FWS take all of their courses with the same cohort of students 

    • Peer mentors host community events in order to give FWS an opportunity to bond outside of the classroom 

  • You are guaranteed a spot in 3 GUR courses to complete undergraduate requirements during your first quarter:  

    • EDUC 115 (SSC) 

    • SMNR 101 

    • SOC 269 (BCGM) 

  • Making connections with Woodring faculty during your first quarter at WWU, which most students do not do until they enter their program 

  • Peer mentor - an older student who understands how to navigate Western as an institution to help support first-year students with a variety of things like: 

    • Studying for classes 

    • Creating schedules 

    • Connecting to resources (faculty/staff, departments, health center, counseling center, etc.) 

    • A friend; someone to rely on 

  • Scholarship upon entering the program 

    • Upon completion of the year’s coursework, FWS may be eligible for funding for their second year  

  • Inside access to scholarship info-sessions for FWS to ask questions about the scholarship process and get feedback on essays 

  • Preference within Woodring program admissions