A group of Tennessee's best future teachers celebrated their academic accomplishments this week at the College of Education's annual award ceremony at MTSU.

Education Dean Lana Seivers presided over the April 20 late-afternoon assembly, which included scholarship announcements, Scholars Week recognition and academic honors for nearly 100 students, including several seniors ready to graduate May 9.

College of Education faculty and department chairs presented undergraduate and graduate scholarships to almost 70 students this year, and another two dozen were recognized as special honor students for their superior grade-point averages. You can see the full list of the 2015 honorees in the event's program at http://ow.ly/M2nLW.

During the ceremony inside the College of Education Building, Seivers thanked the students, their families and friends, and the college's supporters for their perseverance in a field that is critical to a successful society and yet still faces criticism -- not all of it constructive -- from every corner.

"Students who aspire to teach complete a rigorous program of study that includes clinical experiences in schools, research-based coursework and increased accountability and assessment," said Seivers, who served as a teacher, administrator and former state commissioner of education before taking the teacher-training leadership post at MTSU.

"The students recognized excel in these areas and also have high academic standing. The generosity of our (scholarship) donors supports not only the aspirations of our students, but also the dreams of the students they will teach for decades to come."

MTSU was founded as a teachers' college in 1911 and still is one of the largest producers of educators in Tennessee each year. It's also the only Tennessee university training teachers for each of the state's 95 counties as well as across the country and the world.

The College of Education's undergraduate offerings include programs in early childhood education, interdisciplinary studies for K-6 and fourth through eighth grades, special education and a unique "2+2 in Elementary Education" partnership with Motlow State and Columbia State Community Colleges. Graduate programs offer master's- and doctoral-level training for educators specializing in classroom teaching, school administration, library science, English as a Second Language and more.

"Honoring MTSU students is an excellent way to show appreciation for the career path they have chosen and to acknowledge that good teachers make a real difference in the lives of individuals, their families, and in our communities," Seivers said.

For more details on MTSU's College of Education, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/education.