PEMBROKE — Like many college students, Allisa Dilling juggles a full-time job and her studies at UNC Pembroke.
For the last three years, the elementary education major worked in the food service industry while pursuing a teaching degree. This fall, a weight was lifted. Dilling was among four UNCP seniors to be awarded the Hattie M. Strong Scholarship.
“The Hattie M. Strong Scholarship has definitely eased those financial worries and allowed me to focus on my internship and the students I am teaching,” said Dilling, who lives in Laurinburg. “It has also allowed me to be able to focus on the next steps for my education, which is applying to graduate school, rather than having to work a job during my internship.”
Dilling, along with Zach Bayles, Miranda Jones and Raymond Gilbert Jr., are the 2020 Hattie M. Strong scholars at UNCP. The $5,000 scholarship is awarded to students during their internship semester. It is named for Hattie Strong, a philanthropist who funded the building of hospitals, educational institutions and social service agencies throughout Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States.
Dilling completed her student teaching at Beaver Dam Elementary and has begun interviewing for positions. Upon graduation, she plans to return for a master’s degree in school administration and hopes to one day become a principal after gaining years of classroom experience.
Bayles, of Raeford did his student teaching at West Hoke Middle and, after graduation, will begin teaching science at New Century Middle in Moore County. He plans to use a portion of his scholarship funds to purchase classroom decorations and resources.
“This scholarship means that I can breathe easier after some financial hardships endured during my internship semester,” said Bayles, who served more than a decade in the military prior to UNCP.
“After I separated from the military, I sought out a new career that combined my passion for helping others and my love of all things science. After four years of hard work and personal sacrifice, l feel fortunate to have been hired for my dream job.”
Following her internship at Purnell Swett High, Jones plans to pursue her passion of teaching science in Robeson County. Like Dilling, Jones plans to continue her education in the Master of School Administration program at UNCP.
“I feel very blessed and grateful to be receiving this scholarship. I am a first-generation college student from a single-parent home. This scholarship helps take a load off of my mother for my final semester of college and gives me the opportunity to focus on my internship and less about finding jobs and money to take care of myself.
“I am extremely grateful to be chosen for this scholarship,” said Jones, who is from Lumberton.
Gilbert, of Ash, N.C., graduated in November and has assumed a position as the orchestra instructor at Max Abbott Middle School. He completed his student teaching at nearby Spring Hill Middle. He, too, plans to pursue a masters and doctorate degrees in music education with the goal of becoming a music professor at a university.
“This scholarship is a blessing and I am honored to be selected. It represents people who have a passion for teaching and want to help the future generations. I am glad to be a part of something like this as I plan to teach for the rest of my life and hopefully make a difference in education.”
