Laura Houghteling Memorial Scholarship

The Laura Houghteling Memorial Fellowship provides one or two awards each year to students planning a career in elementary or secondary education.

“We, the friends and family of Laura Houghteling, have established this fund as a means both of preserving Laura’s spirit, and of sustaining one of the visions of social service that she had hoped herself to enact. Laura was committed to the idea of public service, and was exploring careers in women’s advocacy and children’s education. She worked after her graduation as a phone counselor at the Women’s Law Project in Philadelphia and, at Harvard, participated in the Radcliffe Women’s Leadership Conference and was a founding member of the Leverett House Women’s Issues Discussion Group. Her commitment to the ideals reflected by her involvement in these endeavors was only one of the reasons why she was loved and respected by so many people. For her, for us, and in the hopes that something positive can be born of the tragedy of her death, we decided to found this fellowship in her name.

“We envision the ideal Houghteling Fellowship winner to be: a person who embodies Laura’s spirit in his or her wide range of interests, commitment to public service, and (especially) caring for young people. Academic achievement and degree of financial need may be taken into consideration in selecting fellowship winners, but the most important factor should be demonstrated commitment to, and qualifications for, a career in teaching. Anyone who plans a career in K-12 education and is on financial aid is invited to apply; preference shall be given to applicants interested in elementary education.”

--Donors' Statement