The Holmes Scholars® Program was originally established in 1991 by the Holmes Group (which later evolved into the Holmes Partnership) with the primary goal of establishing equity, diversity, and cultural competence in programs of higher education and P-12 schools. The program was designed to enrich the scholarly experience and professional training of talented graduate-level students from underrepresented minority backgrounds or students with disabilities pursuing careers in education. Under the leadership of Raphael O. Nystrand, the School of Education (now the College of Education and Human Development) became a charter member of the Holmes Group, a consortium of research universities founded in 1986 for the purpose of improving teacher education. Dr. Tasha Tropp Laman is the Director of the Holmes Scholars and Dr. Kathy Whitmore is an advisor.
In 2011, the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) assumed ownership of the distinguished Holmes Scholars® Program, becoming the AACTE Holmes Scholars® Program. The AACTE Holmes Scholars® Program provides mentorship, peer support and professional development to education doctoral students from historically underrepresented backgrounds, especially racial, ethnic, and linguistic minorities. Participating institutions may offer scholarships, fellowships or tuition waivers in addition to mentoring and financial support for scholars to attend national conferences.
Holmes Scholars® Alumni