Scholarship winner Cyann Lilly, left, and scholarship sponsor Kathy Schnurr
FORT WAYNE, Ind.—The University of Saint Francis welcomed aspiring educators to campus on Friday, March 21 for a highly successful Teacher Cadet Day.
The event brought together high school students from teacher cadet programs and dual-credit early childhood education courses for a day of interactive learning, hands-on experiences and networking with Saint Francis faculty and teacher candidates.
Attendees had the opportunity to hear from an inspiring keynote speaker, Chet Dixon—the 2024 Indiana Teacher of the Year. Guests also explored Saint Francis’ Cougar Classroom and Murray’s Minds: Experiential Lab for Teacher Success (M&M Lab). One of the day’s highlights was the Lesson Planning Challenge, where students showcased their creativity and instructional planning skills for a chance to earn a scholarship.
The Teacher-to-Teacher Scholarship is generously funded by Kathy Schnurr—an alumna of Saint Francis College (now the University of Saint Francis), a dedicated educator and a passionate advocate for the teaching profession. Throughout her career, Schnurr exemplified excellence in teaching, inspiring both students and colleagues alike. This year’s $1,000 scholarship was awarded to Cyann Lilly from Garrett High School for an outstanding lesson plan. Her innovative approach and strong instructional design stood out among the competitors.
Teachers attending as chaperones also benefited from the event by earning Professional Growth Plan points.
Saint Francis is proud to support the next generation of educators and looks forward to continuing this tradition in the future. For more information about Saint Francis’ education programs, visit sf.edu.
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Business. In addition to its traditional programs, Saint Francis designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point and online. USF Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis, recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution, has 20 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships. Approximately 1,800 students from a broad geographic region attend Saint Francis.