Spalding receives grant to fund BIPOC scholarships

The Brown-Forman Foundation has graciously funded a grant of $50,000 to directly support at least thirteen scholarships for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) candidates to the Aspiring Leaders Masters of Education Principal Preparation Program. Along with the scholarship, the grant funding also covers the fee to take the School Leadership Licensure Assessment (SLLA), which is a requirement for principal certification in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. 

“By providing thirteen Jefferson County Public School (JCPS) Teacher Leaders with scholarship awards that cover tuition and principal certification exam fees, Spalding is committed to developing equity-centered school leaders and supporting JCPS’s goal of 49% administrators of color by 2024,” said Dr. Glenn Baete, Director of Advanced Programs in Spalding’s College of Education.

In the upcoming 2022-23 school year, the College of Education will welcome 38 future school leaders into the third cohort of the Aspiring Leaders program. The Brown-Forman Foundation’s support of the Aspiring Leaders of Color Scholarships will create a diverse learning environment for future teaching professionals. To distribute the scholarship awards, the College of Education partnered with the Greater Louisville Alliance of Black School Educators.

These scholarships can eliminate the cost barrier for school teachers seeking to further their careers and prepare for leadership roles within JCPS, while contributing to a diverse pipeline of principals at JCPS. Spalding’s mission to create a diverse and inclusive community is reflected in this master’s program.

“Since 2019, JCPS and Spalding have been partners in the Aspiring Leaders Program that provides JCPS teachers principal leadership training through the lens of the district’s priorities and academic systems,” Dr. Baete said. This year’s Aspiring Leaders Program cohort has nearly doubled in size since it was launched in 2020-2021.

Spalding’s Aspiring Leaders program provides invaluable training and real-life transferable skills for future principals and teaching professionals tailored to the JCPS system. With current JCPS administrators and former principals as instructors, this master’s program provides educational training in principal development for Kentucky school districts.

Commenting on how the program aligns with the funding priorities of the Brown-Forman Foundation, Jill Horn, Director of Global Community Relations at Brown-Forman states, “The Spalding University Aspiring Leaders Principal Preparation Program is a gamechanger for our community. The leaders it produces are creating transformational outcomes for students and inspiring them to become the best versions of themselves. Brown-Forman is honored to support this critical work as it continues to expand and evolve.”

For more information, contact Dr. Glenn Baete at [email protected].