Incoming college freshmen will receive $40,000 Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars award
Twenty-six high school seniors who graduated this year have been selected as West Virginia’s seventh cohort of Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars. These students will receive up to $10,000 per year — or $40,000 total — for their college education as they prepare to pursue rewarding careers as West Virginia teachers.
The Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars Program is a competitive scholarship for high school seniors and recent high school graduates with a passion for teaching and a history of high academic achievement, community service, and active involvement in extracurricular activities while in high school.
“This scholarship represents more than financial support — it represents a commitment to the future of West Virginia,” said Dr. Sarah Armstrong Tucker, West Virginia’s Chancellor of Higher Education. “These students have chosen a profession that changes lives, and we are proud to support their journey as future educators, mentors, and leaders in communities across our state.”
The Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars Program is designed to help West Virginia address ongoing teacher shortages in the fields of math, science, special education, and elementary education. Recipients commit to teaching in one of these high-demand fields in West Virginia for at least five years after graduation. To give students the greatest chance at success, each is paired with a practicing classroom teacher mentor, who provides guidance throughout their college careers.
The 2026-27 Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars beginning their studies in West Virginia this fall are:
- Ava Addair from Princeton Senior High School will be studying elementary education at Concord University.
- Nicholas Brewster from River View High School will be studying math at Marshall University.
- Emma Clary from Lewis County High School will be math at Glenville State University.
- Isabelle Conrad from Nicholas County High School will be studying elementary education at Glenville State University.
- Chloe D’Amico from East Hardy High School will be studying elementary education at Shepherd University.
- Laura Dinkel from Trinity Christian School will be studying elementary education at Marshall University.
- Abigail Elkins from Woodrow Wilson High School will be studying math at Concord University.
- Rebekah Grishaber from George Washington High School will be studying elementary education at West Virginia University.
- Hannah Haines from Hampshire High School will be studying math at West Virginia Wesleyan College.
- Macy Hartung from Oak Glen High School will be studying elementary education at West Virginia University.
- Maya Hill from Scott High School will be studying elementary education at Fairmont State University.
- McKenzie Hoke from Webster County High School will be studying elementary education at Glenville State University.
- Tyler Kaufmann from Spring Mills High School will be studying science at West Virginia University.
- Mackenzie Kimball from Bridgeport High School will be studying elementary education at West Virginia University.
- Katherine Lerose from Poca High School will be studying elementary education at Marshall University.
- Morgan McMahon from Brooke High School will be studying elementary education at West Liberty University.
- Autumn Meddings from Musselman High School will be studying elementary education at Shepherd University.
- Alexa Morrison from Spring Mills High School will be studying math at West Virginia Wesleyan College.
- Kaylee Owen from Winfield High School will be studying elementary education at West Virginia State University.
- Maurriska Paugh from University High School will be studying elementary education at West Virginia University.
- Kaitlyn Rogar from Hurricane High School will be studying elementary education at Marshall University.
- Lydia Shamblin from Clay High School will be studying elementary education at Glenville State University.
- Jillian Spencer from Princeton Senior High School will be studying elementary education at Concord University.
- Jenna Stout from Herbert Hoover High School will be studying elementary education at Davis and Elkins College.
- Carly Vandergrift from Grafton High School will be studying elementary education at West Virginia University.
- Trey Walters from Elkins High School will be studying math at West Virginia Wesleyan College.
Scholar highlights will be featured on the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission’s Facebook page.