Seven A&M–Central Texas Education Majors Receive Charles Butt Scholarships
Seven education majors at Texas A&M University–Central Texas received the Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers and were recognized during a campus ceremony on Nov. 10, celebrating their achievement.
The scholarship, part of the Charles Butt Foundation’s Raising Texas Teachers initiative, provides $8,000-to-$10,000 per year for up to four years to education majors pursuing teaching careers. It is one of the state’s most competitive programs and forms part of the foundation’s $50 million, 10-year investment in mentorship, professional development, and educator networking.
Launched in 2017, the initiative was created to strengthen teacher preparation and address Texas’ ongoing teacher shortage. According to the Texas Education Agency’s 2023 Teacher Vacancy Task Force report, the state continues to face challenges recruiting and retaining qualified teachers, particularly in rural districts and high-need fields such as special education and bilingual education. The Raising Texas Teachers initiative helps close these gaps by developing promising educators to serve in Texas public schools.
The A&M–Central Texas recipients are Aspen Crow, Sarah Duffy, Tyler Jordan, Fatma Khamis, Jessica Reesman, Alexis Speakman, and Crystal Teschner.
Judy Schaffer, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction, opened the event with a toast.
“Teaching is a calling,” Schaffer told attendees. “We are here to honor students who have answered that call.”
At the ceremony, Kimberly Kuklies, executive director of educator preparation services, congratulated the scholars and encouraged them to take advantage of the university’s resources. She also praised the Charles Butt Foundation and H-E-B, the Texas grocery company chaired by philanthropist Charles Butt, for their continued investment in public education and community development across the state.
Scholarship recipients must remain enrolled full time in a teacher certification program, maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average, participate in professional development activities, and commit to teaching in a high-need Texas public school after graduation.
Each student received a gift bag with university swag as a congratulatory gesture. After the ceremony, students, faculty, and guests gathered for refreshments and conversation.
Kuklies closed the event by reminding the scholars that the rewards of teaching often come long after graduation.
“You’ll get an invitation to a graduation from a former student one day,” she said. “When that happens, you’ll know you made a difference.”
