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Meet Our Darla Buchanan Scholarship Recipients

Eduardo Herrera-Rodriguez 

An anonymous Raleigh couple’s gift to the NC State College of Education led to the creation of the Darla Buchanan Scholarship, designed to address the urgent need for a more diverse teaching and administration staff in North Carolina and beyond. 

The equity-focused scholarship for undergraduate students is named for the first of nearly 40,000 Black teachers who lost their jobs in the 1950s following the Brown vs. Board of Education decision.

Thanks to a $20,000 gift from the couple, as well as the 75 additional donors who added their support to the scholarship, the College of Education was able to award three Darla Buchanan Scholarships this fall. 

Meet the three recipients and learn what receiving the scholarship has meant to them.

Carla Gibson

Belmont, North Carolina

Elementary Education

Hobbies and Interests: 

A few hobbies and interests of mine are reading, hanging out with my friends, watching movies, cooking and baking. 

What inspired you to choose education?

I chose to major in education because I love to learn. Being able to work in an environment where everyone is learning and sharing new things is something I enjoy. I also chose education due to wanting to make an impact on the lives of the kids I will be teaching, as one day I will be teaching and making an impact on one of the next generation’s lives.

What do you like about elementary education?

I have always liked working with kids, and I wanted to have a career working with children. But I also wanted a career where I can help others. So choosing to major in elementary education seems like the right fit for me. 

What did you choose the NC State College of Education?

After being a part of the NC State College of Education’s Leadership Institute for Future Teachers (LIFT), I have been attracted to the NC State College of Education. Getting the chance to listen to and talk with fellow students from the college and hearing about their experiences and how supportive the teachers and staff are here, I knew that I wanted to be a part of this amazing college.  

Another reason I chose NC State was due to having the chance of being a part of SAY Village and getting the chance to be a mentor and lend a helping hand to someone else. 

What does it mean to you to receive the Darla Buchanan Scholarship?

The Darla Buchanan Scholarship has helped me out tremendously financially, so that I don’t have to worry about student debt through my time at school or when I begin my career. Being chosen for this scholarship lets me know that there are people who care about my education, my college goals, my career goals and my future students.

How will receiving this scholarship impact your college experience?

Knowing that I am representing such an amazing scholarship makes me strive to work hard in my time at NC State. This scholarship has encouraged me to stay on the path that I am on, as it means to me that there are people who care about my education and goals. 

Eduardo Herrera-Rodriguez 

Apex, North Carolina

Elementary Education

Hobbies and Interests:

I love to paint in my free time when I am not at work or doing schoolwork. I grew up drawing and learning from my dad who is skillful as well. Since then, I have loved getting to work with all kinds of mediums and anything that allows me to create something artistic. I love it! I am also very interested in clothing and fashion. Growing up, I could never really afford nice brands, but I was always interested in and wanted them. Since then, I grew up finding ways to dress how I want by buying things I can afford but still feel confident in. 

What inspired you to choose education?

I had the opportunity to work with kids during the ESL classes that my parents would attend. The ESL program was meant for immigrant parents for whom English was not their first language. While the parents attended these weeknight classes, there was a separate program for their kids. Here, I worked with all different kinds of kids and helped them with things such as schoolwork, reading or simply playing outside. It was a small reflection of what being a teacher is like and from then I was always inspired to do something similar. Also, my first grade teacher was one of the sweetest ladies I have ever known and the person who truly helped me, a young Mexican kid who didn’t speak much English, become fluent and capable of completing school all the way through college!


What do you like about elementary education?

I am pursuing elementary education because I believe this is the time and age when someone can really change a kid’s life. There are students with language barriers, and if they are not given proper assistance, they may never build the confidence to complete their education. Young minds are sponges, and they can absorb so much during this time. I want to be a part of sculpting the minds of the next generations. I also want to be a male figure in a field that’s mostly women because I know that students can always benefit from differentiation in their teachers. 

Why did you choose the NC State College of Education?

The College of Education has an excellent reputation, and I know it will prepare me well for a career in education.

What does it mean to you to receive the Darla Buchanan Scholarship?

I feel very blessed and fortunate to be receiving this scholarship. I have always made sure to work hard in school and get the grades necessary to attend an amazing college, but finances were always a setback. I constantly wondered if all my hard work and time would even be worth it if I couldn’t even afford to pay for college. However, things have paid off and with this scholarship I constantly remind myself that I can’t take my education for granted. 

How will receiving this scholarship impact your college experience?

Being the recipient of this scholarship will allow me to dedicate my time and focus to school. While I still work on the weekends, I could have found myself having to work full-time while still being a full-time student if I didn’t have the help of this scholarship. Now, I manage to balance working part-time at my job, while also focusing on being a full-time student. I study and work hard to earn good grades because there is a huge stress and weight being lifted off my shoulders. 

If you’ve had a chance to participate in field experiences, what has it been like to get into the classroom?

I have been lucky enough to take part in field experiences this semester for the first time, and it has been amazing. I was placed with kindergarteners, a grade level I wasn’t too sure about, but ending up loving it. The kids are truly the best part and getting to know them is so sweet. Working alongside a teacher who has had the experience and wisdom of a few years in the field has been helpful. Getting to help them and their students was very rewarding and has made me only more confident and passionate in choosing this career path. 

What are you looking forward to this year?

I am looking forward to continuing to work out in the field but with a new range of grade levels and getting a feel for what it’s like in comparison to younger grade levels. I hope to get to meet new people in my new cohort that will begin next semester as well and work with some of them out in the field. I want to continue growing and see progress within myself and the confidence I have with teaching. All of this will come with more experience and learning that I intend to continue pursuing!

Tiphany Parisi

Flushing, New York

Elementary Education

Hobbies and Interests:

I love to bake and make desserts. I enjoy being outdoors, attending concerts and spending quality time with my family. I also enjoy spending my days with my dog!

What inspired you to choose education?

Growing up, I found myself always helping my younger siblings and cousins with their homework and studies. My cousins had recently moved from Peru, and they were learning English. I often would find myself setting up a mini classroom in my bedroom and helping them with their studies and learning the English language. Throughout my life, I always found myself teaching others or helping others learn something new. I have always loved to watch people grow and be a part of their journey. Teaching others something new and watching their expression when that new information “clicks”— that’s the moment I love.

What do you like about elementary education?

I just love kids. They are so bright and full of energy and I feel they are always wanting to learn more. I feel elementary education is the time that students learn most and can benefit most from a supportive and caring teacher.

Why did you choose the NC State College of Education?

I wanted to be a part of a top performing elementary education program. The NC State College of Education has one of the best programs in the state with amazing faculty who really care about their students. 

What does it mean to you to receive the Darla Buchanan Scholarship?

I was very surprised but extremely grateful. This scholarship has given me more motivation in connecting me to the bigger picture. 

My mother immigrated from Peru before finishing college to obtain a better future for herself and her future family. She later became a citizen. Even though she was a citizen, she would be discouraged and put down by others because of her immigration and lack of proper education. It was hard for her to be accepted, but she took her struggles and used them as her strength. She has always instilled the importance of a good education and always made sure my siblings and I excelled in our studies, so that we would never be put down or turned away for lack of education, as she was. 

I want my future children and students to always have access to a good education. I want to be the supporting factor for all students, regardless of race, gender or economic status, to remind them that they matter and they are deserving of a caring teacher to deliver a strong education.  

How will being the recipient of this scholarship impact your college experience?

Receiving this scholarship allowed me to focus more on my studies this semester and cut down a few hours from working part-time. This was my first semester back in college as a full-time student, so having that extra time really helped when it came to navigating my new normal and handling the heavy course load that comes with this major. This time allowed for me to get back into the routine of a full-time student without becoming overwhelmed or stressed.

If you’ve had a chance to participate in field experiences, what has it been like to get into the classroom?

We were very lucky to be a part of in-person field experience this year. This experience opened my eyes to the needs of students. It made me want to become a teacher even more. Being able to work with students one-on-one and see their progress was so rewarding. The experience gave me insights into what it takes to be a great teacher.

What are you looking forward to this year?

Going home to visit my family for the holidays.