subscribe to feed

Barbara Smith Dearborn Endowed Scholarship

Michelle Kelly is the most recent recipient of the Barbara Smith Dearborn Mathematics Endowed Scholarship.  The endowment funds a scholarship for continuing students (a student who is at least a sophomore, enrolled full time with at least one full year of study remaining) majoring in Mathematics who achieves the highest cumulative grade point average.  This award is based on merit alone and all mathematics majors are automatically  included in the applicant pool.  Recipients are chosen by a committee.

Kelly is pursuing a mathematics major with an option in middle school(grades 5-8) teacher certification.  When she graduates in 2009 she plans to become a middle school math teacher.

"College is an enormous financial burden; it is always nice to know that there are people out there who appreciate your efforts." 

"Receiving the scholarship was a great surprise. I knew the scholarship was available, but I never thought I would be the mathematics student with the highest GPA," says Kelly.  "It was amazing to be able to tell my family that my hard work had paid $2000 they would no longer have to worry about.  College is an enormous financial burden; it is always nice to know that there are people out there who appreciate your efforts."

Barbara Dearborn began supporting the scholarship with her husband, Denny eight years after she started teaching at Plymouth State. The scholarship was endowed in 1997.

In the classroom, Barbara was unique.  Student evaluations captured her style and love of her craft.  Described by her students as “the best teacher I ever had,” it was clear that Barbara gave 100 percent.  “Math has always been a very difficult subject for me,” said a student, “but with Mrs. Dearborn’s help, I have begun to see its beauty.” Students spoke of her building their confidence, inspiring their interest in math, making learning fun, and possessing enormous patience and sense of humor.

It was this commitment that Barbara Dearborn brought to everything she did. For 17 years she served as class agent for the class of 1960.  She coordinated the Homecoming Golf Classic from 1981 to 1996, which was later renamed the Barbara Dearborn Golf Classic.

Your gift does make a difference to our students.  Consider making an online donation today and help PSU shape the future.