Ann 'Tunky' Riley Excellence in K-12 Education Scholarships

Richard W. Riley, the former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, is a leading advocate in advancing education as a national priority and has been actively involved with Walden University for years. Walden University named its College of Education for Richard W. Riley.

Throughout Secretary Riley’s career, his wife, Ann “Tunky” Riley, joined him in the fight to raise academic standards and to improve instruction for the poor and disadvantaged. This scholarship is dedicated to the memory of Ann “Tunky” Riley, who was a devoted teacher and a passionate advocate for the quality of public education for all children.

The Ann “Tunky” Riley Excellence in K–12 Education Scholarship awards up to $25,000 in scholarships* to two new students enrolling in the college’s wide range of K–12 educator academic programs from doctoral to bachelor’s degrees. This scholarship program reflects the college’s dedication to lifelong learning and supports the many educators who stand out because of their superior contributions to their students, colleagues, schools, and communities.

*Only one scholarship or grant benefit may be applied to tuition.

Eligible Programs

Ph.D. in Education 

• General Program
• Assessment, Evaluation, and Accountability **
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment 
• Educational Technology
• Global and Comparative Education
• K–12 Educational Leadership
• Leadership, Policy, and Change
• Learning, Instruction, and Innovation
• Self-Designed
• Special Education

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

• Administrator Leadership for Teaching and Learning
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
• Reading and Literacy Leadership 
• Special Education
• Teacher Leadership

Education Specialist (Ed.S.) 

• Ed.S. in Administrator Leadership for Teaching and Learning
• Ed.S. in Assessment, Evaluation, and Accountability
• Ed.S. in Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development
• Ed.S. in Educational Leadership and Administration (Principal Preparation)
• Ed.S. in Educational Technology
• Ed.S. in Reading and Literacy Leadership
• Ed.S. in Special Education
• Ed.S. in Teacher Leadership

M.S. in Education 

• Adolescent Literacy and Technology (Grades 6–12)
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (Grades K–12)
• Educational Leadership and Administration (Principal Preparation)
• Elementary Reading and Literacy (Grades PreK–6)
• Elementary Reading and Mathematics (Grades K–6)
• Integrating Technology in the Classroom (Grades K–12)
• Literacy and Learning in the Content Areas (Grades 6–12)
• Mathematics (Grades K–6)
• Mathematics (Grades 5–8)
• Mathematics and Science (Grades K–8)
• Middle Level Education (Grades 5–8)
• Professional Development (Grades PreK–12)
• Reading and Literacy with a Reading K–12 Endorsement
• Science (Grades K–8)
• Special Education (Non-Licensure) (Grades K–12)
• Teacher Leadership (Grades K–12)
• Teaching English Language Learners (Grades K–12)

Teacher Preparation Program with a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) 

• Early Childhood Education (Birth–Grade 3)
• Special Education (K–Age 21)

B.S. in Educational Studies

B.S. in Instructional Design and Technology 

**Prospective Georgia students: At this time, this program is not eligible for certificate level upgrades in Georgia.

Scholarship Eligibility

Recipients of this scholarship must:

• Not be currently enrolled in a Walden University program.
• Have not received another merit-based Walden scholarship.
• Not be employed by Laureate Education Inc. or any of its subsidiaries.
• Meet all admission requirements with the university in receipt of all of the applicant’s official documentation and be fully admitted into one of the Riley College of Education and Leadership’s aforementioned programs.

Scholarship Criteria and Application Process

Applicants must:

• Call an enrollment advisor at 1-866-492-5336 to receive an official scholarship application form.
• Submit an essay of no more than 1,000 words describing their contributions in one or more of the following areas:
  • Influencing the lives of students
  • Mentoring a colleague
  • Making an impact on an economically disadvantaged school or community
• Submit a formal letter of recommendation from a school official (on school letterhead) describing how their passion for teaching makes an impact on their students, school, or community.
• Submit a current copy of their resume or CV.
• Email the completed nomination form, essay, resume, and letter of recommendation all together to rileyscholarship@waldenu.edu.

All required information must be provided in order for a nomination to be considered. Applicants may be contacted by phone to confirm the authenticity of information submitted.

Deadline and Start Dates

• Scholarship application deadline is July 15, 2013.
• Scholarship winners must enroll and start classes within two start dates of being awarded the scholarship or scholarship will be forfeited. Start dates are as follows:

Scholarship Selection Process

A scholarship committee comprising members of the Riley College of Education and Leadership will review the nominations and select the semifinalists. The semifinalist nominations will be presented to Secretary Riley, who will choose the final award recipient.

Scholarship Announcements and Publicity

Individuals who receive a scholarship must affirm that they are willing and able to participate in all publicity efforts promoting the program. Such publicity may include news releases and media advisories, local and national media coverage, media interviews and photos, and other similar public relations activities.
Individuals who participate must sign a release that allows Walden University to use the individual’s participation in the program for publicity purposes without limitation and states that all such materials remain the sole and exclusive property of Walden University.

Scholarship Funding

Scholarship funds will be disbursed beginning in the student’s first term after being awarded the scholarship and remaining funds will be applied toward the following term(s) until all funds have been used. For funds to be disbursed, the student’s records with the Office of Admissions must be complete, including the student’s official transcript. At any given time, if a scholarship disbursement exceeds the cost of tuition, funds will be disbursed in the amount of the tuition cost. Students will not receive cash if the award amount exceeds their cost of tuition.

Students who withdraw from the program or university or change to another degree program not eligible for this scholarship will forfeit the scholarship. Should the scholarship be forfeited, students need not reimburse Walden for funds already disbursed to them. In order for scholarship funding to continue throughout the length of the program, recipients must meet the satisfactory academic progress criteria set forth by Walden University’s current catalog for the duration of their program. If a student is in a new semester and forfeited in the previous semester (due to internal lag time), the student will receive a revised bill for the prior semester, in which the scholarship was received.

The cost of books and course materials are included in the tuition for some of Walden’s programs and specializations. However, scholarship recipients enrolling in Walden’s Ph.D. in Education program or Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in Educational Technology program are responsible for the cost of books and materials. Scholarship recipients enrolling in either the Ph.D. in Education program or the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program are also responsible for all associated residency costs. All recipients who enroll in a Walden program are responsible for the technology fee each term as well. Recipients are responsible for all other non-tuition costs including but not limited to residency travel and other university or program fees as applicable.

Students may combine this scholarship with one of the tuition-reduction opportunities outlined on the Walden University website but may not combine this offer with any grant, scholarship, or tuition reduction that is associated with a specific start date. 

If the student is eligible to receive both a scholarship and a tuition reduction (i.e., offer/discount), the bursar's office will apply the scholarship funds first to the student's account and then apply the tuition reduction to any remaining balance for that term. If no balance is due in that term, the scholarship will be applied and reflected in the student's next billing statement in the following term. 

This scholarship is not managed by Walden University’s Office of Financial Aid. Please call an enrollment advisor at 1-866-492-5336 for more information.