Scholarship Spotlight: Maya Nicole Batson
They say when you visit the college that is right for you, you’ll feel it when you set foot on campus.
Maya Nicole Batson says it’s true.
“When I was choosing colleges, I was scheduled to visit five schools, and Salisbury University was the first,” Maya said. “I fell in love the moment I stepped on campus. I canceled my other visits. I knew.”
Maya graduated from the early childhood education program in 2019 and now teaches first grade at Pocomoke Elementary School. While at SU, her hard work earned her the Hattie M. Strong Foundation and Andes Family scholarships, making her educational journey possible.
Education majors at SU spend their final semester in full-time teaching internships, requiring a lot of hard work and dedication—and college costs can add to the pressure.
“My scholarships helped me so I didn’t have to worry about how I was going to afford tuition during my last semester. I could just focus on my internship,” Maya said.
Maya spoke at the SU Foundation, Inc.’s Scholarships and Awards Luncheon in April to thank those who contribute to the success of the University and its students.
“I want to thank the Hattie M. Strong Foundation and the Andes family for helping me remain focused on my dream,” Maya said during her speech. “Thank you for aiding me in finding what sets my soul on fire and enabling me to pursue it with every fiber of my being.”
Maya looks back on her time at SU with pride. She credits her professors with preparing her for the professional world and says her internships in different counties on the Eastern Shore got her to where she is now.
“I was always matched with a mentor who fit my personality; SU knew how to do that,” Maya said. “I trusted my professors to teach me what I needed to know. They were helpful, never discouraging and always knew what to say when you needed it.”
From the first day she visited campus, it seems Maya ended up right where she needed to be. A graduate of Worcester County Public Schools, she was recruited from her freshman year of college to be a teacher in Worcester County. She is the first locally recruited educator in the “Grow Our Own” program, designed to bring minority teachers into the school system. This opportunity to be a voice that inspires the next generation was made possible by her dedication to her education.
“I want children to believe in their abilities,” Maya said. “I want them to know that they are capable of taking ownership of their educational endeavors. I believe in my students, the future leaders of our country, who enter my classroom every day. My hope is that my students receive the same support I have received and remain the positive, motivated people they are today.”