The partnership will begin in the Fall 2025 semester and will see participants earning a Master of Arts in Teaching from Lipscomb University and receiving the benefits of the Memphis Teacher Residency program.
Lipscomb University and the Memphis Teacher Residency program have partnered to improve the area’s teacher shortage. The partnership between the university and MTR will give aspiring teachers the opportunity to take Master of Arts in Teaching courses at Lipscomb University while receiving the benefits of the Memphis Teacher Residency program, including full tuition coverage, and will then commit to teaching in Memphis for three years following completing the program.
According to an article on Lipscomb University's website, Candice McQueen, the president of the university, was quoted as saying of the partnership, “Access to highly effective educators is critical to ensuring student success, yet far too many students in Tennessee don’t have access to quality teachers because of the shortage of educators in the classroom. Our partnership with Memphis Teacher Residency is a crucial step in addressing this gap, to provide accessible pathways to help fill classrooms with passionate, well-trained educators as an investment in the long-term success of the young people in the Memphis area and across Tennessee.”
The website for Memphis Teacher Residency states, “The mission of MTR is not simply to prepare high-potential teachers for Memphis schools. Our mission is Christian love expressed in equal education. The change we desire is that our city’s most marginalized communities would have access to the same quality of education within their neighborhood-zoned schools as does any other child in Memphis.” The faith-based teacher preparation program falls in line with Lipscomb University's Christ-centered mission. Together, the university and MTR are seeking to train more teachers to fill gaps in the current teacher shortage.
Memphis Teacher Residency offers college graduates the opportunity to become residents in its program to pursue a teaching career via working with a mentor teacher while receiving a master’s degree and teacher certification, putting these individuals in a good position to become effective classroom instructors. The benefits of working with MTR includes receiving 100% tuition coverage, coaching, and continued support as these individuals commit to working in Memphis schools for three years following their program completion.
Megan Salemi, who serves as the Director of Education at MTR, said, “At Memphis Teacher Residency, we are deeply committed to equipping teachers with the skills, knowledge, and faith-driven community needed to make an impact in classrooms and communities. The partnership with Lipscomb University bolsters MTR’s ability to train and equip teachers successfully for classrooms and deepen our literacy-specific work in Memphis-area schools. We are thrilled to work with a mission-aligned institution to expand opportunities for individuals who feel called to serve in education, particularly in Memphis communities.”
Lipscomb University is taking strides to improve the teacher shortage and train aspiring teachers to provide quality education to their young students. In addition to this partnership with Memphis Teacher Residency, the university has also partnered with Metro Nashville Public Schools for a teaching pathway program and with the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE), the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Joe C. Davis Foundation to form the teacher apprenticeship program Foundations to Futures.
Speaking of the partnership with MTR, Leslie Cowell, the dean of Lipscomb’s College of Education, said, “We are pleased to have this opportunity to serve the Memphis community. MTR has made a tremendous impact in the Memphis area over the last 15 years and is an ideal partner for Lipscomb in this work with our shared commitment to preparing teachers who are both highly effective and driven by a mission to serve their communities. This partnership provides a unique opportunity to combine MTR’s mentorship model with Lipscomb’s nationally recognized teacher preparation program and we are excited to see the impact this initiative will have on the Memphis community.”
For more information about Lipscomb University, visit the school’s website.