WCU partners with Statesville school for mentorship program
Students from Statesville High School visited Western Carolina University in October as part of the Students to Teachers Through Educator Pathways (STEP) program, a partnership between WCU and Statesville High School to help recruit students from diverse backgrounds into the teaching profession. Donated photo
For many students at Statesville High School, stepping onto the campus of Western Carolina University was their first college experience.
To help recruit students from diverse backgrounds into the teaching profession, WCU has partnered with Statesville High School to form a program called Students to Teachers Through Educator Pathways.
“The purpose of STEP with WCU is to introduce teaching as a profession in diverse high schools where students might not have had the opportunity to see it as such,” said Jenny Stewart, WCU’s director of Student Success and STEP. “This program contributes to the College of Education and Allied Professions and WCU goals for inclusive excellence, and was designed to address the low number of students of color in teacher education programs and the teaching workforce across our state.”
The students in the program are part of a Teaching as a Profession class at their high school and made the campus visit to learn more about applying to college, student life and financial aid.
Using the Teaching as a Profession curriculum approved by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and specific college engagement activities, this program aims to increase the positive perceptions of teaching as a profession and college as a destination after high school.
For more information about the STEP with WCU program, contact Stewart at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
