UNK Teacher Scholars program builds a pathway from college to the classroom
KEARNEY – Sage Larson knows exactly where she wants to be after graduating from the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
Back home in Arapahoe, teaching the next generation of students in the community that helped shape her own life.
“I honestly just want to give back to the community that gave me so much,” she said. “I’m so excited to go back there. I love everything about Arapahoe.”
A sophomore studying early childhood and elementary education, Larson has dreamed of becoming a teacher for as long as she can remember. Her mother operated an in-home daycare, giving Larson plenty of opportunities to work with children and discover the joy that comes from helping them learn.
“Any time I see a kid learning something new, that’s such a big moment for them,” she said. “It’s just so truly rewarding.”
Now, Larson is preparing to make that same impact in her own classroom, with help from a UNK program designed to support aspiring educators from the moment they arrive on campus.
Through the Teacher Scholars program, she’s gaining valuable classroom experience, developing professional connections and building relationships with fellow education majors who share her passion for teaching.
Creating a community
The UNK Teacher Scholars program recruits, supports and develops future educators through a combination of scholarships, specialized coursework, mentoring, professional development and hands-on learning opportunities.
Led by program director Emily DeVall, the initiative emphasizes creating strong connections early in college, when students are beginning to explore the profession and establish their identities as future teachers.
“We want students who are interested in teaching to feel connected to the profession and to each other early in their college experience,” DeVall said.
The program welcomed 26 freshmen this fall, joining 17 sophomores already participating.
As part of an expanded scholarship structure, selected freshmen receive $1,000 in tuition assistance and a $1,000 housing waiver while living together in a learning community on campus. Additional students participate through two partner pathways that provide $1,000 or $500 in tuition assistance without the residential requirement.
All Teacher Scholars participate in cohort classes, allowing them to progress through portions of their coursework together while developing friendships and a shared support system.
Outside the classroom, the program offers guest speakers, professional conferences, school visits, community service projects and opportunities to interact with practicing teachers and administrators. Sophomores also serve as mentors for incoming freshmen, helping them navigate college life and the teacher education program.
These experiences complement UNK’s traditional teacher preparation coursework.
“We want them to begin seeing themselves as teachers from the moment they arrive at UNK, develop relationships with other education majors, learn from practicing educators and gain experiences in schools and communities,” DeVall said. “Ultimately, our goal is to prepare educators who will enter the profession excited, confident, connected and ready to make an impact.”
For Larson, that sense of community began during her freshman year, when she lived alongside other Teacher Scholars in Martin Hall. The students attended classes together, participated in social activities and helped each other with assignments.
“It’s such a supportive community,” she said. “We’re all so close, so we can lean on each other and help each other out. Emily DeVall has also been one of the biggest blessings since I got to UNK. She has helped me through so much. It’s so nice to know there are people here who are rooting for you, pushing you and trying to help you be the best version of yourself.”
As a sophomore, Larson is currently mentoring two younger students, offering the same guidance and encouragement she received.
“We’ve been in their shoes, so we know what it’s like to start here and be a little overwhelmed with all of the things you have to learn and go through,” she said. “This is an opportunity for us to share our experiences and continue growing together.”
Finding their calling
Fellow sophomore Revin Nyberg understands the importance of having that support system.
The Stromsburg native, who graduated from Cross County Community School District, is studying secondary English language arts education. His interest in teaching developed while working at summer camps, where he discovered how rewarding it can be to help children overcome challenges and grow in confidence.
“I really can’t see myself doing anything else,” he said.
Nyberg’s grandmother attended UNK before it was part of the university system and later taught elementary school in Polk. He’s proud to follow a similar path.
UNK’s reputation for teacher education and affordability attracted him to campus, but the relationships he’s developed have made an equally strong impression.
“I thought about universities such as UNL and UNO, but I realized Kearney is the place where I needed to be, not just because of the school but because of the values that this community has,” he said. “It’s different from Lincoln or Omaha. There are people here who can truly mentor me.”
As a freshman, Nyberg appreciated living near other Teacher Scholars who understood the challenges of adjusting to college. Whether he needed help with an assignment or advice about his future, someone was always available.
He found another source of encouragement in DeVall.
“She’s like the cohort mom. That’s the way I describe her,” Nyberg said. “She’s tough, but she’s caring, and it’s good for us.”
Now a peer mentor, Nyberg is passing along that support to other students.
He’s also gaining experience working with children through volunteer tutoring at the Hanny Arram Center for Success, part of Kearney Public Schools. The opportunity allows him to interact with students individually and better understand their needs outside a traditional classroom setting.
“It’s really fun to be that person who can help them outside of school,” he said.
After graduation, Nyberg hopes to teach at Cross County or another school in the surrounding area.
His goals extend beyond helping students master English language arts. He wants to be someone who encourages them when they need it most.
“A teacher can just say one thing and it can stick with you forever,” he said. “If I can be that for students, that would mean everything. That’d be worth it.”
Teaching is also a family tradition for UNK freshman Avery Longshore. Her mother teaches second grade at Meadowlark Elementary School in Kearney, and Longshore grew up admiring the relationships she built with students.
Longshore discovered her own passion for working with children while coaching youth softball. Those experiences reinforced her desire to pursue elementary education.
“I want to be a teacher because I want to make a difference in kids’ lives and I want to see them grow and build confidence in themselves,” she said. “I want them to know I’m someone they can always come to.”
A Kearney High School graduate, Longshore is also a recipient of the Kearney Teachers Tomorrow Scholarship, a separate partnership between UNK and Kearney Public Schools that provides financial assistance and guarantees recipients a teaching position in the district after graduation.
Although she’s only beginning her college journey, Longshore already appreciates the connections she’s made through Teacher Scholars. Living alongside other education majors in Martin Hall helped ease her transition to UNK and gave her an immediate sense of belonging.
“Honestly, when I was first coming here, I was nervous. I was like, I don’t know if I’m going to find my group of people,” she said. “But the Teacher Scholars program has made me feel really comfortable here. Everyone clicked instantly and it made me feel at home.”
Visits with practicing educators and school administrators have also given her a better understanding of the profession she’s entering.
“It’s just really cool and it makes me excited,” Longshore said. “I’m going to be in their shoes one day.”
Ready to teach
For Michaela Becker, that day has already arrived.
The 2024 UNK graduate is in her third year teaching second grade at Buffalo Hills Elementary School in Kearney, where she works in the same community that inspired her to become an educator.
Becker comes from a family of teachers. Her mother taught preschool, her grandmother taught elementary school and her twin sister Faith, also a UNK graduate, is currently a fourth grade teacher in Elm Creek.
“I knew by first grade that I wanted to be a teacher,” Becker said.
At UNK, she participated in Teacher Scholars, building friendships with fellow education majors and gaining experience through tutoring, community service and other activities. Those relationships have lasted well beyond graduation.
“Still even today I talk to those people I made friendships with and we kind of share what we’re doing in our classes,” she said.
Becker credits UNK’s teacher education program with preparing her for the realities of the job, from lesson planning and classroom management to communicating with parents.
“They teach you all of those little things that really matter when you’re actually doing it,” she said. “Obviously you’re never going to be fully prepared when you first step into the classroom, but I think they gave me all of the tools I needed to be successful as a teacher.”
She hopes more students take advantage of the same opportunities.
“Teacher Scholars pushed me to reach my full potential and helped shape me into the teacher I am today,” Becker said.
Investing in the future
The program’s mission carries added importance as Nebraska continues working to address a shortage of qualified teachers.
According to the Nebraska Department of Education, school districts reported approximately 490 positions that were vacant or filled by educators who weren’t fully qualified for the 2025-26 academic year. That’s down from 669 the previous year, but staffing challenges remain, particularly in rural communities.
DeVall believes universities like UNK play a critical role in addressing those needs, with the Teacher Scholars program serving as an important part of that effort.
“Addressing the teacher shortage isn’t simply about graduating more education majors,” she said. “We need to recruit students into teaching, help them persist through their preparation programs, prepare them well, connect them with Nebraska schools and give them reasons to remain in the profession.”
“That’s where Teacher Scholars can make a difference,” she added. “We are building relationships with future educators early. We’re giving them authentic experiences in schools, connecting them with mentors and peers, developing them professionally and helping them see the impact they can have as teachers.”
Those efforts are helping students like Larson turn a longtime dream into a career.
She understands the impact a caring teacher can make, and she’s eager to make that same difference in her hometown.
“My goal is to be the teacher I needed when I was younger,” Larson said. “I want to be that teacher who is there to support students through every step they take – good or bad. I want to let them know that I’m here for them and I’m here to help them succeed.”