Supporting Future Dalcroze Educators: The DSA Scholarships Task Force
Since the DSA was formed over forty years ago, the Memorial Scholarship program has enabled many who seek Dalcroze training to fulfill their dream. A key purpose of this program is to encourage more teachers to pursue training at accredited Dalcroze teacher training programs in the hope that many will attain certification and licensure. But it also serves to provide those in need with the opportunity to experience Dalcroze training, regardless of their ultimate goals.
How can we measure the success of the DSA’s Memorial Scholarship Program? Is there any correlation, say, between the number of qualified Dalcroze teachers in the USA and the amount we distribute in scholarships each year? It’s hard to say, if only because we don’t have comprehensive data yet. Still, the DSA’s commitment to supporting future Dalcroze teachers has consistently inspired our members to give generously to the DSA’s scholarship program.
The DSA’s Memorial Scholarship Task Force consists of Dalcroze teacher trainers working in accredited training programs. It brings together these experts to adjudicate scholarship applications and formally recommend recipients to the DSA Board of Trustees
While the task force has traditionally made recommendations based on applicants’ financial need as well as merit, last year we established two distinct kinds of award:
- The merit scholarship is meant to support the professional development of teachers seeking Dalcroze credentials
- The need-based scholarship is meant to encourage newcomers to gain early experience in Dalcroze regardless of how much prior exposure they’ve had to the practice
If you know of anyone who warrants consideration on either basis, please encourage them to apply soon!
To reduce the risk of conflicts of interest, adjudicators recuse themselves from voting on scholarship applicants who intend to study at the training program where they teach. For similar reasons, the role of Scholarship Task Force Chair is entrusted to a DSA member who is not teaching in any of the participating Dalcroze training programs. We generally encourage the Board to distribute awards among those seeking training from various participating training programs as a reflection of the cooperation that drives the task force’s work.
This program would not be possible without the generosity of donors to the DSA Memorial Scholarship program. Thank you for your support. We also invite all members to give something, regardless of the amount, so we can increase the percentage of our membership that supports this important program. In the future, and with high levels of designated giving from our key stakeholders, we plan to approach granting agencies for additional funding to cover operating expenses, and other costs related to running this program.
2021 DSA Memorial Scholarship Applications are now open. Need-based applications are rolling. Merit-based applications are due February 1, 2021. Please also consider a donation to the 2021 Scholarship Fund Campaign.
The DSA Board of Trustees envisions the DSA’s future and enacts policies to ensure that its programs fulfill its stated purpose and meet the community’s evolving needs. Meet the rest of the Board and find out more about their work.
