The College of Education is committed to preparing the highest quality educators and we are proud that our students excel inside and outside the classroom. We’ve seen them adapt and persevere even as they have faced a pandemic, racial injustice, political turmoil, and economic dislocation. Despite their strengths, we know that there are students who face financial hardships that threaten to derail their dream of becoming an educator.

This year, we are asking that you join us in supporting our students in realizing their dream to become an educator through a gift to the persistence scholarship fund. Gifts from our supporters will provide scholarships to current students struggling to pay for school. Scholarships will help cover the balance of awardees’ accounts, ensuring that they can register for the next semester of classes, persist in their program, and become an educator.

As we work together as faculty, staff, alumni, students and friends of the College of Education, we will continue to prepare the best educators who are ready to meet the challenges ahead and excel in any environment. 

College of Education Persistence Awards Educational Administration & Foundations School of Teaching and Learning Special Education
Leaderboard
Participation by area
Which participating group will receive the most gifts during Birds Give Back? Support your passion and help your area climb the leaderboard!
Rank Area of Support Gifts
1 Communication 328
2 Athletics 192
3 Multicultural Center 158
4 Geography, Geology and the Environment 151
5 LGBTQ+ Student Support 121
6 School of Theatre and Dance 90
7 Support MCN Priorities 89
8 Center for Civic Engagement 88
9 University Housing Services 84
10 Family and Consumer Sciences 80
11 Accounting 77
12 Red and White Student Scholarship 74
13 Andrew Purnell Jr. Memorial Scholarship 71
14 Horticulture Center 69
15 WGLT 61
16 Finance, Insurance, and Law 54
17 College of Business Excellence Fund 50
18 ISUPD Community Engagement Unit 50
19 Student Engagement 49
20 Redbird Esports 45
21 Gamma Phi Circus 40
22 Special Education 36
23 School of Teaching and Learning 35
24 Health Sciences 34
25 Chemistry 33
26 Textbook Affordability 33
27 School of Music 33
28 Illinois Shakespeare Festival 32
29 Ewing Cultural Center 31
30 Red and White Scholarship Fund 29
31 History 28
32 CAST Student Persistence Fund 27
33 Office of Sustainability 27
34 Student Affairs Scholarships 23
35 U-High 23
36 More Ways to Support Milner 22
37 Biological Sciences 21
38 Agriculture 21
39 Politics and Government 21
40 Career Services 21
41 College of Arts and Sciences Funds 20
42 Wonsook Kim CFA General Fund 20
43 College of Education Persistence Awards 20
44 Economics 19
45 Alumni Association Scholarship 19
46 Office of Student Research 18
47 Technology 18
48 Wonsook Kim School of Art 18
49 Educational Administration & Foundations 17
50 Kinesiology and Recreation 17
51 Social Work 16
52 Information Technology 16
53 CAST Connections 16
54 Black Colleagues Association Scholarship 16
55 International House 15
56 Marketing 14
57 Latinx Alumni Network Scholarship 14
58 Mathematics 14
59 Metcalf 14
60 English 14
61 Psychology 14
62 Honors Program 13
63 The Graduate School 13
64 Criminal Justice Sciences 11
65 Communication Sciences and Disorders 11
66 Creative Technologies Program 11
67 Pay it Forward Business Scholarship 10
68 Languages, Literatures, and Cultures 10
69 Management Majors 10
70 Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies 9
71 Military Science - ROTC 7
72 Physics 7
73 Sociology and Anthropology 7
74 Business Education 7
75 International Business 7
76 University Galleries 6
77 Friends of the Arts 5
78 Latin American and Latino/a Studies 4
79 Philosophy 3
80 Marian H. Dean Legacy Scholarship 2
Ended
$100,000
Mission Launch Challenge
Thank you to the first 1,000 donors who unlocked $100,000 to kick off Birds Give Back 2022! Don’t forget to check with your employer to see if they match your gift!
1,000 / 1,000 Gifts
Completed
$100,000
Momentum Challenge
Thank you to the 1,000 donors who unlocked $100,000 to keep momentum strong during Birds Give Back!
2,000 / 2,000 Gifts
Completed
$2,500
College of Education Launch Challenge
Joe ‘77 and Kathy McGuire ’77 will add $2,500 to our Birds Give Back totals when we receive 50 gifts for the College of Education.
50 / 50 Gifts
Completed
$30,000
Hesterberg CAST Mission Complete Challenge
We are issuing our final challenge of the night. Keith ’93 and Beth Hesterberg challenge us to complete our Birds Give Back mission. They will add $30,000 to support the CAST student persistence when we receive another 250 gifts before midnight. Make your gift and spread the word to all your Redbird friends!
2,750 / 2,750 Gifts
Completed
$25,000
Employee/Retiree Challenge
Thanks to 500 faculty, staff, retiree donors for unlocking $25,000 during Birds Give Back!
500 / 500 Gifts
Completed
$25,000
Reaching for 2,500 gifts!
Thank you to the 2,500 donors who unlocked $25,000 to keep momentum strong during Birds Give Back!
2,500 / 2,500 Gifts
Completed
Success!
Social Sharing Challenge
Pawfficer Sage and her friend want you to spread the word about #BirdsGiveBack! Susan Cameron ’79, a retired staff member, will contribute $10 to support Pawfficer Sage’s Community Engagement Team for every share, up to $1,000!
Completed
Participating Groups
College of Applied Science and Technology College of Arts and Sciences College of Business College of Education Mennonite College of Nursing Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts Alumni Association Athletics Center for Civic Engagement Ewing Cultural Center Honors Program International House Lab Schools Milner Library Multicultural Center Office of Student Research Office of Sustainability Red and White Student Scholarship Student Affairs The Graduate School WGLT
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