Emily Mullen ’26 (Bachelor of Music in Music Education) was awarded a $5,000 scholarship award from the Hattie M. Strong Foundation (HMSF) to defray costs during student teaching in the spring semester.

“My music teachers were and still are some of the most influential people in my life and I recognize the influence being a music educator has on our students,” said Mullen. “This is not a responsibility I take lightly and I strive to be a positive and encouraging presence in my students’ lives. With this scholarship, I can focus more on my teaching and showing up for my students rather than stressing about financing student teaching. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and cannot wait to student teach!”

She will be student teaching with Tracey Wygal at Frederick Douglass Elementary in Winchester and with Kyle Alperstein ’21 (Bachelor of Music in Music Education) at Taylor MIddle School and Kettle Run High School in Fauquier County.

“Her outstanding academic and service work for the past three years is ample evidence that she is deserving of the award,” said Director and Professor of Music Education Stephanie Standerfer, Ph.D.

This is the 14th year the HMSF has provided scholarships for Shenandoah students who are seeking initial teacher licensure and who demonstrate promise as future teachers.

HMSF is a charitable private foundation incorporated in the District of Columbia in 1928. The foundation’s activities consist of the administration of a scholarship program and a grant program. The scholarship program is aimed at college students enrolled in teacher-training programs at selected partnering institutions. The scholarship funds are intended to ease the financial pressure during the student-teaching semester, when a student’s ability to offset expenses with outside employment is curtailed by the rigor of full-time work in the classroom. Visit hattie.org/our-programs/scholarship-program to learn more.