Northern Kentucky University seeks to alleviate the teacher shortage in the region and the country with a new program.
NKU said in a press release that, through the Haile Foundation Future Educator Fellows Program, it hopes to have a direct impact on K-12 education in the region by building a pipeline of dedicated and community-oriented educators. This program is funded by a grant from the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation.
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Building on the success of NKU’s Young Scholars Academy, the Haile Foundation Future Educator Fellows program seeks to lower the cost of earning a teaching certification. In order to equip them to serve the most underserved schools in the Northern Kentucky region, it will help Young Scholars Academy graduates from underfunded school districts finish their bachelor’s degrees at a discounted rate and with improved training.
The Young Scholars Academy was established in 2020 to help students in the Northern Kentucky area close the early-college access gap. Juniors and seniors in high school who participate in Young Scholars Academy receive comprehensive support on all levels—personally, academically, and professionally—while accumulating college credit.
NKU Provost Diana McGill stated, “We hope that this program will draw committed, accomplished students who graduate from the Young Scholars Academy to pursue teaching degrees.” We appreciate the Haile Foundation’s collaboration in this program’s pilot and the chance to prepare the next generation of teachers to serve the youngsters in the area.
The initiative will provide a first-year housing stipend upon certification and employment, work opportunities with NKU’s K-12 summer camps, and an annual tuition discount to a select group of students starting in the 2026–2027 academic year. By 2030, the effort aims to generate over a dozen certified teachers, mostly for Northern Kentucky’s Title I-eligible school districts.
Since its inception, Young Scholars Academy has graduated more than 350 students from the program, more than half of whom have gone on to pursue a bachelor s degree at NKU. For more information about the academy, visit
NKU s website
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