Indiana Makes Major Investment to Help More Aspiring Teachers Pay for College

More than 300 scholarships have been awarded to the 10th class of Next Generation Hoosier Educators.

INDIANAPOLIS - More than 300 scholarships have been awarded to the 10th class of Next Generation Hoosier Educators.

Through a competitive, academic-based selection process, the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship provides recipients a renewable scholarship of up to $10,000 per year (up to $40,000 total) to help pay for college.

The grant is administered by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and requires scholarship recipients to teach for five years at an eligible Indiana school, thus strengthening Indiana’s homegrown teacher pipeline.

Local Scholarship Recipients:

• Abigail Everage, Madison High School, Indiana University Southeast
• Elle Jankovsky, East Central, Ball State University
• Ellie Whitaker, Madison High School, Taylor University
• Derek Ross, Jennings County High School, Purdue University West Lafayette
• Kaydence Lowman, Jennings County High School, Marian University
• Morgan Esposito, Rising Sun High School, Ball State University
• Paige Pendell, Jac-Cen-Del High School, Franklin College
• Sarah Bruce, Oldenburg Academy, Ball State University
• Saydee Hofer, East Central High School, Indiana University Bloomington
• Ty Lay, Switzerland County High School, Hanover College

“Teachers play a key role in inspiring and preparing Indiana’s youth for the future,” said Governor Mike Braun. “Investments like the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship provide a win-win for our state, helping aspiring teachers take an important step toward their future by reducing the cost of earning their degree, all while ensuring they stay right here in Indiana to build their career and educate the next generation of Hoosiers.”

With nearly 1,100 applications submitted this year, the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship continues to attract a strong and competitive pool of aspiring teachers from across the state. Applications were received from students representing 323 high schools in 90 of Indiana’s 92 counties. Additionally, approximately 70 percent of applicants were Indiana high school seniors with the remaining applicants being current college students.

To qualify for the scholarship, students had to either graduate in the top 20th percent of their high school class, earn a score in the top 20th percentile on the SAT or ACT, or have at least a 3.0 cumulative high school GPA.

To renew the scholarship while in college, students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA and complete at least 30 credit hours per year.

See a full list of scholarship recipients at NextGen_2026 Recipient List.pdf