Walden University Announces Recipients of International Schools Scholarships

Minneapolis—March 30, 2011—To demonstrate its commitment to global education efforts, Walden University’s Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership has awarded full-tuition scholarships to four teachers, each from an international U.S. curriculum-based school. Walden is also donating one laptop computer to each school where the scholarship recipient is employed.

“We welcome these four outstanding, committed international educators to our community of learners. They share our dedication to increasing teacher effectiveness and student achievement, and we look forward to playing a part in the significant contributions they make in their classrooms around the world,” said Dr. Kate Steffens, dean of Walden’s Riley College of Education and Leadership.

Through essays submitted for these scholarships, the recipients showed how they would contribute to the development of their disciplines by using innovative strategies in the learning process and technology in the classroom. The first recipients of Walden’s International Schools Scholarships are:

• Mark Osborn, an eighth-grade math teacher at Colegio Nueva Granada, Bogotá, Colombia, who is enrolled in the MSEd program with a specialization in Mathematics, Grades 6–8. His school is a member of the Association of American Schools in South America.
• Don Chambers, an Advanced Placement chemistry teacher at The American School in Japan, located in Tokyo, who is enrolled in the EdD program with a specialization in Teacher Leadership. His school is a member of the East Asia Regional Council of Schools.
• Johnson Jacob, the director of information technology at the American International School of Bucharest in Romania, who is enrolled in the PhD in Education program with a specialization in K–12 Educational Leadership. His school is a member of the European Council of International Schools.
• Christina Simmons, a high school English teacher at Alliance Academy International, Quito, Ecuador, who is enrolled in the PhD in Education program with a specialization in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. Her school is a member of Tri-Association: The Association of American Schools of Central America, Colombia, Caribbean and Mexico.

“Educational leaders, now more than ever, need to possess the transformational leadership skills to engage their schools for 21st-century preparedness,” said Jacob. “Learning is a lifelong quest, and it galvanizes me every step of the way.”

“It is easy to say that no matter where we are in the world, educators share a common goal to impart knowledge and watch our students flourish in understanding and success,” said Simmons. “Further educating myself in areas of curriculum and instruction equip me to have insight and provide support no matter where I teach in the world.”

Walden has a 40-year history of educating educators, which has led to the creation of a community of more than 47,000 students and alumni who are leaders in their classrooms and schools. For more information about Walden University’s Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership, visit www.WaldenU.edu/education.

About Walden University
For more than 40 years, Walden University has supported working professionals in achieving their academic goals and making a greater impact in their professions and their communities. Today, more than 53,000 students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries are pursuing their bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees online at Walden. The university provides students with an engaging educational experience that connects them with expert faculty and peers around the world. Walden is the flagship online university in the Laureate International Universities network—a global network of more than 55 online and campus-based universities in 27 countries.

Walden offers more than 50 degree programs with more than 225 specializations and concentrations. Areas of study include health sciences, counseling, human services, management, psychology, education, public health, nursing, public administration and information technology.

For more information, visit www.WaldenU.edu. Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.hlcommission.org.