Vernier Emerging Science Education Leader Scholarship (VESELS)

NSELA and Vernier Software and Technology are celebrating their second year sponsoring the Vernier Emerging Science Education Leader Scholarship (VESELS). This ongoing partnership supports six $500.00 scholarships for emerging leaders, one from each of the six NSELA Regions, to attend the annual NSELA Summer Leadership Institute (SLI) from July 9 – July 11, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Emerging Science Education Leader Scholarship was founded with support from Dr. Jo Anne Vasquez who started the scholarship fund in 2014. The partners also celebrate the past year’s awardees: Sarah Adumat, Anissa Angier, Alfonso Garcia Arriola, Heather Moll, Amy Murphy, and Joseph Simmons. 

Award Criteria and Application Process:
The following criteria must be met to apply for the scholarship. Does not need to be a member of NSELA prior to the application. When a candidate applies, must become a member of NSELA.
  • Emerging leader role at the school, district, state or informal level for three years or less. The three-year limit is specific to the leadership role and work for which the candidate is being nominated. Previous leadership roles that are very different are not counted in the three years.
  • Submission of an application packet that includes: resume or vita, personal letter with evidence that illustrates emerging leadership, and a support letter from a supervisor.

  • Agree to work with an NSELA mentor through June 2019. During the SLI, all scholarship awardees will have meetings with the mentor and share how they will apply SLI learning to their work settings. After six months, awardees will reflect on how they are applying their SLI experience in the Navigator newsletter and online with other scholarship awardees and the mentor.

2018 application deadline: April 16, 2018

If you have questions or would like to contribute to the scholarship fund, contact Nancy Kellogg, Awards Chair.

Application Process

For the Summer Leadership Institute, applicants submit the following: 

  1. Resume or Vita (maximum of 2 pages) that includes name, position/title, email, work and home phone numbers, work and home addresses, educational record of earned degrees with dates and field of study plus any additional formal education, professional development opportunities, previous work experience, any professional memberships and positions in or contributions to those organizations, and presentations related to science education. Optional: special awards or other forms of professional recognition and publications related to science education.

  2. Personal letter with evidence that demonstrates accomplishments with specific examples that illustrate emerging leadership and how the Summer Leadership Institute would benefit your work (maximum of 2 pages). Include a statement that you agree to work with an NSELA mentor, other scholarship recipients online and in the NSELA Navigator through June 2019. Give one example of what you might contribute to the online learning community.

  3. Support letter from a supervisor that gives evidence of leadership accomplishments with specific examples and why attendance at the Summer Leadership Institute would benefit your work as a science leader (maximum of 2 pages). The supervisor should include his/her work title and contact information.

The application packet must be submitted as PDF documents to Nancy Kellogg, NSELA Awards Chair. Email the application packet to [email protected]

Scholarship awardee(s) will be announced by May 11, 2018. Scholarship money will be reimbursed to the awardee(s) at the end of the Summer Leadership Institute.

Emerging Science Education Leader Scholarship Awardees

2018

Jennifer Gibson, Texas
Brianna Greco, Nebraska
Amy Hochschild, Ohio
Alyssa Mocharnuk, Massachusetts
Katrina Reno, Mississippi
Dylann Pinkman, Nebraska

2017

Sarah Adumat, Wisconsin
Alfonso Garcia, Oregon
Joe Simmons, Florida
Heather Moll, Arizona
Anissa Angier, Oklahoma
Amy K. Murphy, Ph.D., Alabama

2016

Brennan Brockbank, California
Sephali Thakkar, Connecticut

2015

Holly Steele, California

2014

Bruce Jones, Arizona
Tracey Staley, Florida