Shorter University student Tonya McFay receives prestigious Gary Lee Scholarship

August 16, 2011 - Shorter University student Tonya McFay, a native of Arlington, Ga., has been selected to receive the prestigious Gary Lee Scholarship through the Georgia Independent College Association. This $5,000 competitive scholarship is awarded each year to a student who is approaching a final year of study in preparation for teaching. It is made possible by a grant from the UPS Educational Endowment Fund administered by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) in Washington, D.C.

McFay is majoring in middle-grades education with a concentration in science and mathematics through the Teacher Preparation Program at Shorter University. In nominating McFay for the scholarship, Dr. Sandra Leslie, dean of Shorter’s School of Education, wrote, “She is passionate about becoming a successful middle school teacher and cherishes the field experiences that allow her to demonstrate her ability to engage students in the learning process. She recognizes the importance of the middle grade years as a crucial time in child development. With this recognition, comes her commitment to provide her future students not only with superior academics but also the support and encouragement of a caring teacher. Her long-range goal is to teach, earn a Master’s degree and perhaps, work toward a doctorate. Ultimately, she would like to become a middle school administrator. She will be a lifelong educator.”

McFay has received a number of honors and awards at Shorter, including the School of Education Scholarship, the Georgia Baptist Scholarship, the Baptist Appreciation Scholarship, and the Louis Dowdle Cobb Scholarship. This spring, she was inducted into Kappa Delta Pi, the education honor society. She is also the recipient of the University Love of Learning Award.

McFay has served as resident director on the Residence Life staff and has served in a number of campus leadership positions. She has served as a peer mentor for freshmen, participated in an all girls singing group, and was a youth intern at Shorter Avenue Baptist Church. She served as a middle-grades program assistant for Shorter’s SCIO afterschool program in the sciences and as a tutor at Johnson Elementary. She is also a member of the Student Professional Association of Georgia Educators and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Founded in 1873, Shorter University is a Christian university committed to excellence in education. Since 2003, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Shorter among the South’s best baccalaureate colleges, and The Princeton Review annually includes Shorter on its lists of best value and best Southeastern colleges. The university offers traditional bachelor’s degree programs in 48 major areas as well as undergraduate degree programs for working adults, master’s programs, and online courses and degrees. For more information, visit www.shorter.edu.

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