North Wake News

The North Carolina Teaching Fellows Commission has announced the selection of 530 teaching fellows for the 2025-26 academic year, marking the highest number of awards since the program's revival in 2017.

The Teaching Fellows program offers forgivable loans of up to $10,000 per year to students who commit to teaching in North Carolina public schools. It aims to recruit, prepare, and support future teachers through a competitive, merit-based selection process. Recipients may attend any of the ten partner institutions across the state, including Appalachian State University, East Carolina University, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

A total of 809 applications were reviewed this year, with the commission evaluating grade point averages, leadership skills, awards, essays, and recommendations to determine the recipients. This year's awards include 199 early-window selections.

Dr. Bennett Jones, director of the North Carolina Teaching Fellows, expressed appreciation for the growing interest in the program. "We are thrilled about the continued growth and interest in the Teaching Fellows program. The recruitment activities by our program and campuses, in conjunction with targeted efforts to recruit more high need areas in the state, led to the record number of applications and awards," Jones said. "We are grateful for the support of lawmakers and educational leaders across the state as we continue to recruit, train, prepare, and place high-quality teachers in North Carolina."

This year's 530 awards reflect a 15% increase compared to last year's 462 awards, and a significant rise from the program's reinstatement year in 2017. Notably, 30% of the 2025 recipients are minority candidates, a 5% increase from the previous year. The awardees include 268 high school seniors, 234 transfer students, and 28 current teachers pursuing licensure. They come from 81 North Carolina counties and 13 states, with 344 focusing on elementary education, 78 on special education, and 108 on STEM education.

The commission overseeing the program includes educational leaders and industry professionals. For a complete list of the selected teaching fellows for the class of 2025, additional information is available online.