Foundation News

James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation Announces 2015 Fellows

The James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation of Alexandria, VA, announced today that it has selected 51 James Madison Fellows for 2015 in its twenty-fourth annual fellowship competition. James Madison Fellowships support the graduate study of American history by aspiring and experienced secondary school teachers of American history, American government, and social studies.

Named in honor of the fourth president of the United States and acknowledged "Father of the Constitution and Bill of Rights," a James Madison Fellowship funds up to $24,000 of each Fellow’s course of study towards a master’s degree. That program must include a concentration of courses on the history and principles of the United States Constitution.

The 51 James Madison Fellows were selected in competition with applicants from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the nation’s island and trust territories. The fellowships are funded by income from a trust fund in the Treasury of the United States and from additional private gifts, corporate contributions, and foundation grants. Recipients are required to teach American history or social studies in a secondary school for at least one year for each year of fellowship support. The award is intended to recognize promising and distinguished teachers, to strengthen their knowledge of the origins and development of American constitutional government, and thus to expose the nation’s secondary school students to accurate knowledge of the nation’s constitutional heritage.

Founded by an Act of Congress in 1986, the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation is an independent agency of the executive branch of the federal government. Additional information may be found at www.jamesmadison.gov.

2015 James Madison Fellows

Current Teachers (Senior Fellows)
Listed by state of legal residence, name, and secondary school where they teach

AK Kevin P. Ratliff East Anchorage High School, Anchorage, AK
AZ Lisa K. Adams Corona del Sol High School, Tempe, AZ
CA Tyrel C. Rose1 Foothill High School, Bakersfield, CA
CO Kristina J. Bybee2 Conifer High School, Conifer, CO
CO Michael J. Sandstrom Yuma High School, Yuma, CO
CT Michelle Pusser Academy of Information Tech, Stamford, CT
FL Heather M. Deiches-Wasemann McKeel Academy, Lakeland, FL
FL David F. Monaco3 Archbishop Curley-Notre Dame, Miami, FL
HI Amy A. Perruso Mililani High School, Mililani, HI
ID Kathryn Milburn Idaho Connects Online School, Nampa, ID
IL Robert T. Grigsby4 Rich East High School, Park Forest, IL
IL Cheryl A. Kyrias Oswego East High School, Oswego, IL
IN James V. Bradburn Shelbyville High School, Shelbyville, IN
IA Daniel T. Covino Grinnell Community Senior High School, Grinnell, IA
KS Taylor K. Smith Shawnee Heights Middle School, Tecumseh, KS
LA Jessica E. Kearney Broadmoor High School, Baton Rouge, LA
ME Jamie L. Karaffa Bruce M. Whittier Middle School, Poland, ME
MD Ellen E. Georgi5 Urbana Middle School, Ijamsville, MD
MA Mark A. Lowe Beethoven/Ohrenberger K-8, Boston, MA
MI Craig A. Windt Central High School, Bay City, MI
MN James D. Farrant Heritage Christian Academy, Maple Grove, MN
MS Charles W. Brand Pearl High School, Pearl, MS
MO Marc S. Ostrowski Hazelwood East High School, Saint Louis, MO
MT Drew E. Burfeind Sentinel High School, Missoula, MT
NE Zachary T. Wojtowicz Lincoln Southeast High School, Lincoln, NE
NV Julianne Kinzie Billinghurst Middle School, Reno, NV
NH Jacob Goodwin Gilmanton School, Gilmanton Iron Works, NH
NJ Linda N. Dean West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North, Plainsboro, NJ
NM Sheilah A. Jennings St. Pius X High School, Albuquerque, NM
NY Donna M. Fedele Dutchess Day School, Dutchess, NY
NC Dustin P. Baker The Franklin Academy, Wake Forest, NC
ND Shannon J. Sorenson Century High School, Bismarck, ND
OH Stuart M. Leo South High School, Columbus, OH
OK Edwin A. Braudrick Atoka High School, Atoka, OK
PA Georgette M. Hackman Cocalico Middle School, Denver, PA
RI David J. Mercante Lincoln School, Providence, RI
SC Leslie K. Martin Powdersville High School, Greenville, SC
TX Kimberly D. Grosenbacher Samuel V. Champion High School, Boerne, TX
UT Darlene James Herriman High School, Herriman, UT
VA Douglas L. Zywiol Hayfield Secondary School, Alexandria, VA
WA Kathleen R. King Kentwood Senior High School, Covington, WA
WV Adam R. Young Nicholas County High School, Summersville, WV
WI Rhonda K. Watton Templeton Middle School, Sussex, WI
WY Whitney J. Mueller Laramie High School, Laramie, WY

 

Prospective Teachers (Junior Fellows)
Listed by state of legal residence, name, and undergraduate school

AL Caitlin M. Halperin Auburn University, AL
AR Scott O. Shackelford University of Arkansas, AR
CA Alicia C. Tito University of Maryland, MD
DC Matthew E. Burgoyne University of Georgia, GA
GA Megan E. Ernst University of Georgia, GA
MD Joseph P. Landgraf University of Maryland, MD
NJ Sarah E. Gittleman6 Rutgers, NJ

1 Mr. Tyrel C. Rose’s fellowship, the Henry Salvatori-James Madison Fellowship, is endowed by the Henry Salvatori Foundation.

2 Ms. Kristina J. Bybee’s fellowship,"The Fellows’ Fellowship," is funded in part by contributions from active and alumni James Madison Fellows.

3 Mr. David F. Monaco’s fellowship, the J. Seward Johnson, Jr.-James Madison Fellowship, is endowed by the Atlantic Foundation of Princeton, New Jersey.

4 Mr. Robert T. Grigsby’s fellowship, the McCormick Foundation-James Madison Fellowship, is funded by the McCormick Foundation of Chicago, Illinois.

5 Ms. Ellen E. Georgi’s fellowship, the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott-James Madison Fellowship, is funded by the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation of Washington, DC.

6 Ms. Sarah E. Gittleman’s fellowship, the Fairleigh S. Dickinson, Jr.-James Madison Fellowship is endowed by the Fairleigh S. Dickinson, Jr. Foundation, Inc. of Roseland, New Jersey.