Liam Thurlby was sitting in his high school AP government class when he realized his future dream job. Originally from China, the KU School of Education & Human Sciences student was taken not only by the differences between the government in the U.S. and his home country, but the enthusiasm that his teacher, Mr. Thomas, presented the material.
“He made the classroom and the subject very energetic,” Thurlby said. “And I knew then that I would do the same thing. I want to become a high school teacher and do the same thing for the students who are enrolling in high school government.”
Back in China, Thurlby, who is visually impaired, didn’t have many career options available to him. When he was adopted and came to the U.S. as a teenager, the Braille technology and support that was available opened doors for him and helped him to start dreaming bigger.
After completing some preliminary courses at community college, Thurlby enrolled at KU and is now studying education and government. Like many students at the School of Education & Human Sciences, scholarships are an important piece of making those dreams come true.
“My number one priority is always for students,” said Rick Ginsberg, dean of the School of Education & Human Sciences. “Scholarships are most important in fields like ours that don’t necessarily pay the most at the other side and indeed, the training requires them to be out in the field getting preparation and we want to support those students as best we can.”
As can be seen across several disciplines, salaries have not kept up with the increased cost of higher education. Financial concerns cause aspiring professionals to give up their dreams of serving their communities and inspiring students.
For his part, Thurlby is continuing to work toward his dreams. He is looking forward to his upcoming semester of student teaching, and last year he won The Constitution Reflection Award, which challenges students to reflect on the enduring importance of the Constitution in our everyday lives.
“In China, I couldn’t have dreamed of becoming a teacher and coming here. I now can dream of becoming a high school government teacher, and donors are playing a crucial role in making this possible,” said Thurlby.
Providing renewable scholarships for students is one of the KU School of Education & Human Sciences’ priorities in the current campus fundraising campaign with KU Endowment. For information on how you can help support KU School of Education & Human Sciences students, contact Laura Meyer at KU Endowment at 785-832-7372.
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