By Jordan Beach
From left to right: Dr. Jacob Harney, Dr. Tish Szymurski, Dale Morrissey, Dr. Mark Roberts, Letitia Cline, Bonny Keheley, Dr. Nancy Marsh and Dr, Susan Padgett-Harrison.
Students of the Cherokee County School District with plans to become teachers and attend Reinhardt University will have the opportunity to receive scholarship thanks the efforts of those who remain devoted to education.
The Cherokee Retired Educators Association (CREA) made a generous donation of $2,500 on Aug. 6 to Dr. Mark Roberts, interim president of Reinhardt University, to be awarded to a Cherokee County School District graduate who attends Reinhardt University’s Price School of Education (PSOE).
“We are incredibly appreciative of Cherokee County’s Retired Educators’ generosity,” said Dr. Nancy Marsh, dean of the PSOE. “In many instances, being a recipient of the Cherokee Retired Educators scholarship has allowed students to devote more time to their studies, volunteer for service learning or spend longer at their assigned school instead of leaving to work a second job.”
“We want to support future educators for the profession. Reinhardt is here in our community and I think it’s important that since we’re a Cherokee County group of educators, that we support the local institution here in the county, and a lot of our members attended Reinhardt as well. They have a connection, or they have family members who did,” said Letitia Cline, CREA president.
Cline is a testament to the success of Price School of Education students, as shown from nearly 30 years as a Cherokee County educator. She taught elementary school for 27 years, served as a building administrator for 13 years and closed her career as an assistant superintendent.
Not only did Cline graduate from Reinhardt in 1983, her parents were also alumni and met on campus. Cline’s niece will start at Reinhardt this fall as a nursing major, continuing her family’s rich history.
“It’s been great to see the growth at Reinhardt. We grew up coming on campus, even as small children, because we live close by,” said Cline. “As a former principal, it’s been great to have an institution this close by that provides great candidates to us to hire in the school system.”
Cline continues to serve the University in a variety of capacities. She served on the PSOE alumni board when it was first charted and took part in the process to obtain the program’s initial accreditation. She currently serves on Reinhardt University’s Alumni Board of Governors.
“It’s been great to see the progression of things and where we’re headed.”
The Cherokee Retired Educators Association has provided scholarships to students attending Reinhardt University for the past 17 years. The first scholarship was awarded in 2003 and since have ranged from $500 to $3,000. Funding for the scholarship is provided by CREA sponsor Jonathan Pope.
To be eligible for the scholarship, students must be admitted to the Price School of Education, maintain a GPA of 3.75 and be a Cherokee County resident. Faculty votes on the recipients in August, and the awarded students attend the CREA meeting in December to be introduced and give thanks.
