Retired U of M assistant professor creates scholarship fund to increase diversity among early childhood and elementary education teachers

Eunice and Edward Ordman are storytellers.  Their home is full of mementos from adventures they’ve had around the world – masks from Africa, prints from Thailand – and they are quick to share the tales behind their keepsakes.

“That photo was taken on a whitewater rafting trip we took ten years ago,” said Dr. Ordman, indicating a framed photo of Mrs. Ordman in a raft. “There were nine people in that boat Eunice is rowing, and she was well into her seventies at the time.”

But the story Mrs. Ordman recently shared with a group from the U of M that gathered to recognize her $44,000 gift to establish a new scholarship fund in the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences wasn’t about her travels, it was about the philosophy behind her generosity, “I was taught by my father that whatever we have in this life is just on loan to us from God. So I gave as much as I could to start this scholarship fund. I think it’s important to the future of the children in our schools.”

Through the scholarship she created, Mrs. Ordman hopes to address the lack of successful male role models in the lives of too many young children in our community by attracting more men to teach in early childhood and elementary classrooms.

One of the first recipients of the Ordman scholarship, Michael Powell, echoed her concerns when he wrote in his essay, “After a successful career as a U.S. Marine, I returned to Memphis in 2003 to begin my journey toward a teaching career. After careful reflection, I chose a concentration in Elementary Education because it’s my goal to reach children early in the educational pipeline.” He added, “Positive male role models in our schools could lead to improved behavior, especially for boys who lack such influence and support at home.”

Powell recalled that during his three years as an educational assistant, children came to him every day with stories of violence and criminal activity that had unfolded before their eyes. He said, “My response was that of a confidante and caregiver, and I went the extra mile to provide a safe haven for our children.”

Like the other Ordman Scholarship recipients, Powell’s scholarship may be renewed each semester he is enrolled in the Teacher Education Program and continues to pursue early childhood or elementary education licensure. Mrs. Ordman explains, “I want to help ensure that the students are able to continue with their studies – that the cost of tuition and books isn’t keeping them out of the classrooms where they are needed.”