According to a press release, applications are starting Monday for $10,000 scholarships for college students and $9,600 per-semester stipends for student teachers under the “MI Future Educator Fellowship program.” The program is designed to “bolster the teacher pipeline and [help] districts hire and train more qualified teachers.”

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“I am excited to announce that applications for $10,000 MI Future Educator Fellowships and $9,600 a semester MI Future Educator Stipends are officially open,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

It makes sense that Gov. Whitmer would reach out to the education community. In last week’s final gubernatorial debate, GOP challenger Tudor Dixon chastised Gov. Whitmer over her prolonged closure of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, and pushed back on Gov. Whitmer’s assertion that she only closed schools for three months.

“I’m pretty sure I just heard an audible gasp around town when Gretchen Whitmer said that kids were out of school for three months,” Dixon said during the debate. ““Perhaps she wasn’t paying attention. This is shocking to me that she thinks that schools were only closed for three months, or maybe she thinks she can convince you that schools were only closed for three months, but you know better because your students are the ones that are desperately behind,” Dixon said.

This is not the first time Gov. Whitmer has maneuvered to reach out to the education community. Her “historic” investment in education in this year’s state budget has been one of the governor’s main talking points for months. Two weeks after the August primary, Gov. Whitmer suggested suspending the sales tax on school supplies, but did not follow through on her request or detail a plan for implementation.

Future educators can find more information here and here. Student teachers must apply through the MiSSG Portal.

For full eligibility requirements and to apply starting October 31st, visit click here.