College of William and Mary
03/25/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/25/2026 07:59
William & Mary funding supports student teachers
William & Mary funding supports student teachers
Ten elementary education seniors received funding through the F.U.S.E. program, easing financial pressures during their required unpaid student teaching internship.
Published March 25, 2026
The following story originally appeared on the W&M School of Education website. - Ed.
This spring marks the first time William & Mary School of Education student teachers have been included in the Funding for Unpaid and Underfunded Student Experiences (F.U.S.E.) program.
Ten elementary education seniors received funding through the program, easing financial pressures during their required unpaid student teaching internship. The funding offsets living costs during a semester when preservice teachers are unable to work due to full-time K-12 classroom placements and evening coursework.
"Student teaching is a full-time professional internship, and for many candidates, the financial strain is very real," explained April Lawrence Ed.D. '17, director of field and clinical experiences. She pointed out that the cumulative costs of licensure tests alone can create "pressure points for nearly all teacher candidates," particularly those with fewer resources.
"Programs like F.U.S.E. help ensure that dedicated, highly qualified educators are not limited by financial barriers," said Lawrence.
The School of Education's partnership with FUSE aligns with its broader goal of reducing financial obstacles for future educators, allowing them to focus fully on learning in the classroom. It also supports the School of Education's commitment to providing all students with hands-on, immersive field experiences.
"It allowed me to focus on becoming the best teacher I can be," said award recipient Lily Silverman B.A.Ed. '26.
Lily Silverman B.A.Ed. '26
F.U.S.E. award recipients will participate in the university's Internship & Applied Learning Showcase this spring. Lawrence expects student participation from the School of Education in this event to raise awareness of the depth of professionalism within the teaching field.
"When attendees walk through the showcase and see examples of our preservice teachers' assessment design, differentiated lesson plans, classroom management systems and impact data, they may begin to understand that teaching is rigorous, intellectually demanding and deeply impactful work," said Lawrence. "For some students, it may even open their eyes to teaching as a pathway they hadn't considered."
Today's teacher candidates are among the strongest and most dedicated students she has seen, Lawrence added, bringing research-based instructional practices into classrooms and presenting at national conferences as undergraduates.
"Being able to share what we do is important," said Silverman. "People don't always see how much heart goes into teaching." She hopes the showcase helps others understand the emotional, intellectual and physical demands of full-time classroom work.
Sarah Zakreski B.A.Ed. '26
Awardee Sarah Zakreski B.A.Ed. '26 echoed her peer's sentiment: "I hope that people will see the amount of work that we put into a classroom while full-time student teaching. While we have the supervision of a veteran teacher, we are responsible for preparing any materials or lesson plans that we are teaching throughout the week. This takes time outside of the school day, especially when you have no previously made materials that you can use. The time we put into student teaching is not just during the school day, but after as well."
Thanks to the F.U.S.E. funding, students said they greatly appreciated being able to fully commit to their student teaching placements without having to take on extra work hours.
Student teaching in the School of Education is not always viewed as an internship by those in other disciplines. By collaborating with W&M Director of Internships and Applied Learning Phil Heavilin, Lawrence and the School of Education's K-12 partners were able to confirm eligibility for undergraduate preservice teachers. The student-teaching experience is a full-time, 15-week internship in a K-12 classroom during the final semester of students' programs. Lawrence emphasized that local schools recognize the financial burden on student teachers and are eager to support solutions.
Looking ahead, Lawrence believes this year's collaboration has broadened the university's understanding of applied learning, noting that student teaching is "deeply immersive, community-embedded work that deserves recognition alongside other applied fields."
She anticipates the visibility generated through F.U.S.E. and the spring showcase will strengthen partnerships with local schools and inspire expanded financial support for future cohorts undergraduate and graduate alike.
F.U.S.E. funding is made possible with the help of generous donors, including Darr '76 & Susan Barshis '75; Donald & Barbara Zucker G '23, G '25, G '28; Julie Dobson '78, P '17, P '19; Chet Thaker HON '24, P '17, P '19; Martha & Daniel Lehman P '19; Curtis & Ardine Williams; and Darpan Kapadia '95. The current education cohort received a combined $37,000, with awards ranging from $1,100 to $5,000.
College of William and Mary published this content on March 25, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 25, 2026 at 14:00 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]