School of Education gets boost from Spencer Foundation

The Spencer Foundation has awarded $1.2 million to the School of Education to support graduate students in doctoral-degree programs.

UW–Madison is one of nine universities to receive the research training grants, designed to help offset a national decline in the resources allocated to educational research, Spencer officials say. “Improving education depends heavily upon developing new ideas that work,” explains foundation president Patricia Albjerg Graham. “We need a new generation of researchers who can undertake this formidable challenge.”

The grant will provide support to 12 students planning careers in educational research. The Graduate School will contribute funding for eight additional fellowships for minority or disadvantaged students. The first five fellowships will be awarded next fall.

In conjunction with the grant, Education is creating a new research training program for graduate students. The program will provide mentoring and opportunities to conduct research early in the graduate career.