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Baldanza Fellows

Recruiting and Retaining Teachers With Diverse Life Experiences and Perspectives

Scholarships covering teacher certification master’s tuition

Pipeline to teaching position upon graduation *

Stipends to support living expenses while studying

Questions? Contact Breana Nieves Vergara at
bknieves@syr.edu or 315.443.2505

Students need more inclusive teachers!

Teachers who bring diverse perspectives and experiences are needed in schools across the Syracuse area. We know that teachers from different backgrounds have an essential impact on their students and schools. The Baldanza Fellows Program is dedicated to recruiting, developing, and retaining applicants committed to serving underserved and underrepresented students to become exceptional and motivated teachers in Syracuse area K-12 schools. This program is a partnership between the School of Education, the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and several Central New York school districts, and supported by the Baldanza Fund for Excellence in Education Policy in Practice.

Applicants for the following initial teacher certification master’s programs are eligible to be considered for the Baldanza Fellowship:

Baldanza Fellows become transformational educators in Syracuse area schools. In a 12-16 month master’s program, you’ll get intensive field experience in local partner schools, develop a community cohort of fellow educators, link classroom theory to daily practice and receive personal and real-time mentoring from a support team of University and community teachers and leaders.

Core Components:

  • 12-16-month full-time study in a teacher education master’s program (typically May-August the following year)
  • Context-specific coursework
  • Continuous feedback and support from School of Education faculty and partner district educators
  • Year-long seminar and community development for Baldanza Fellow cohorts
  • Local and national engagement and mentoring
  • Extensive field experiences and student teaching within our partner districts

Fellows will receive:

  • A tuition scholarship to cover or go towards your master’s degree program
  • A stipend to support living expenses
  • A hiring commitment from partner school districts *

* Subject to availability, fit, student’s successful completion of program in good standing, and student’s fitness to teach. Current partnerships with the Baldwinsville, Jamesville DeWitt, Syracuse City, and West Genesee school districts.

Baldanza Fellows must have earned their Bachelor’s degree on or before May 2025. Selection for the fellowship is contingent on local district needs in specific areas/associated programs. Fellows must enroll for full-time study and be able to meet all degree requirements within 16 months. Fellows also must agree to a three-year minimum teaching commitment in one of the partner school districts upon completion of the program.

Applications for the Baldanza Fellows program are currently closed. Please check back or contact us for information on future semesters: Breana Nieves Vergara, Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions, at bknieves@syr.edu or 315.443.2505.

Baldanza Fellows will be selected from applicants accepted to their chosen master’s program based on how their personal background and experiences inform their commitment to being a teacher to underserved and underrepresented populations and to teaching in the Syracuse area.