In two weeks, Scottsburg High School Class of 2018 graduate Trevor Cox will finish his first semester at Indiana State University. While he studies for finals and writes papers, he is free of one worry — student debt. Before starting classes at ISU and at the end of his senior year at SHS, Cox earned several significant, competitive college scholarships, including a full-tuition scholarship to ISU.
Cox received the Sycamore Teacher Leader scholarship, a full-tuition scholarship for students in the Bayh College of Education who intend to major in elementary, secondary, or special education. Cox will also receive $3,000 for professional development to use for his development as an educator. To obtain the scholarship, Cox had to have a cumulative high school grade point average of at least 3.5, demonstrated leadership abilities, a history of community service, and an outstanding SAT or ACT score, and a desire to become a high-quality educator.
“I chose Indiana State because I knew a bunch of people who have gone and enjoyed it. I know Indiana State has a good education program. ISU started as a teachers-only college,” Cox said.
By receiving the Sycamore Teacher Leader scholarship, Cox entered the Bayh College of Education’s Scholars to Teachers Program. The BEST Program focuses on leadership, professional development, community service, and engagement and mentoring. Students in the BEST Program will also create and implement events and programs that serve the campus and outside community. Cox said the BEST Program assigned him a mentor to meet with throughout his college career, and the program requires him to complete an internship to further him along with his experience as a future educator.
“When you graduate, you’ll have a lot of experience in the classroom,” Cox said.
In addition to the ISU scholarships, Cox received the Indiana Commission for Higher Education’s Next Generation Hoosier Educators scholarship. The competitive scholarship gives $7,500 annually for a total of up to $30,000 to each recipient. To receive the funds, the winners have to agree to teach in Indiana for at least five years after graduating from college.
Locally, Cox received a $10,000 scholarship from the Dale McNeely Scholarship Fund. Dale and Martha McNeely were both educators, who were passionate about education and children.
Not only did Cox leave with enough money to pay for college through scholarships, but Cox saved even more money — and time — by starting his first semester with 41 college credits, which he earned as a high school student at Scottsburg. With those credits, Cox began his first semester at ISU as a sophomore, majoring in music education and minoring in psychology.
“I’ve grown up seeing my parents’ classrooms,” Cox said. “Last year, I thought about becoming a music teacher.”
While at SHS, Cox took the education professions class, a college credit-bearing course where students learn the principles of educational psychology, instructional strategies and planning, and learning environment and process. The students in the education professions class also spend time observing teaching techniques, giving lessons, and helping educators in classrooms at Scott County School District 2.
“It has given me an introduction to teaching,” Cox said. “My junior year, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Ed Professions helped me see it was something I wanted to do.”
Along with taking the education profession classes, Cox was influenced to become a music education major through his years as a member of the SHS Band of Warriors and spending his entire middle and high school years taking music classes. It was in seventh grade when Cox started to play the bassoon because it was unlike the typical instruments most students choose to play.
“It was something different,” Cox said about the bassoon.
Throughout his time in the SHS band program, Cox went to the state finals competition three times with the SHS Band of Warriors and went to the Winter Guard International Percussion World Championship Finals once in the two years he participated in winter percussion. He was also named first chair bassoon at the 36th Annual Western Kentucky University Honors Band Clinic during his senior year.
Before leaving SHS, Cox had to audition to receive entrance to the ISU School of Music. ISU accepted Cox in the School of Music, where students receive preparation as professional educators and musicians.
“I’ve always loved band and music,” Cox said.
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