Illinois State University consistently hosts the largest cohort of Golden Apple Scholars.

The Golden Apple Foundation was founded in 1985 to support excellence in teachers and school leaders in schools of need in the Chicago area. Illinois State is proud to have partnered with Golden Apple in 1993 when the program expanded across the entire state of Illinois, and then to New Mexico and Michigan. In 2025, Golden Apple inducted its 6,000th Golden Apple Scholar.

The Golden Apple Scholars program provides tuition assistance and additional teacher preparation for future teachers enrolled in a teacher education licensure program. Scholars have a passion for and commit to teaching in a school of need in Illinois. Illinois State remains the largest attended higher education partner, with 326 Golden Apple Scholars enrolled for the 2025-26 academic year.

Scholars receive academic and social-emotional support from Golden Apple during their time in college, participate in an extensive program each summer during college, and have a mentor teacher throughout college and their first years of teaching.

“Golden Apple is a program that works,” said Dr. Barbara Meyer, associate professor in the School of Teaching and Learning and faculty advisor for Golden Apple ISU, a registered student organization (RSO). “It’s helped keep teachers in the field of education, and most stay in those schools of need instead of transferring to a school that is more financially stable or that is not as diverse.”

Eighty-six percent of Golden Apple Scholars stay in the classroom for more than three years, surpassing the state average of 71% of teachers in Illinois staying for three years.

Golden Apple at Illinois State

Lizzete Reyes is a senior special education learning and behavior specialist major and just completed her term as president of the Golden Apple ISU RSO, which provides community and support for Scholars at Illinois State.

“My freshman year was one of the hardest years for me, and I was struggling academically,” said Reyes. “As a Golden Apple Scholar, I wasn’t meeting the GPA requirement. Someone from Golden Apple reached out to check on me and provide the support I needed, and that made all the difference for me. Now I’m proud of my academic success.”

In addition to academic support, the Golden Apple Scholars summer institute includes multiple professional development sessions and work in pre-K-12 classrooms during summer school.

Golden Apple Scholars are encouraged to participate in Golden Apple ISU for even more support while on campus.

Golden Apple ISU provides monthly professional development and social programming for Golden Apple Scholars during their time at Illinois State. There are currently more than 200 Scholars who participate in the RSO. They regularly host Golden Apple ISU alumni who present on a variety of teaching topics. They have partnered with multiple education-related RSOs on service projects like writing Valentine’s Day cards for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and collecting food for the student food pantry. This year, they also formed a volleyball team for the Spike out Arthritis tournament and the St. Jude games fundraisers.

“I love being able to be a voice to help young students and now provide encouragement for other Scholars in Golden Apple ISU,” said Reyes.

Reyes grew up in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and plans to teach in CPS after graduation. In August, she began a full year of practicum and student teaching in Lombard.

“I have so much classroom experience already through clinicals at Illinois State and Golden Apple that I feel completely ready for my practicum and student teaching,” said Reyes.

In 2024, the Department of Special Education at Illinois State established a partnership with the Golden Apple Accelerators program to provide financial assistance to students enrolled in the Paraprofessional Unlocking Licensure in Special Education (PULSE) program that prepares paraprofessionals for special education licensure.

Since the launch of this partnership, 15 PULSE students have become Golden Apple Accelerators, and about 15 more students joined in August. This partnership has helped PULSE students gain access to a program that will advance their careers as special educators and provide the K-12 students they serve with more skilled, knowledgeable, and effective teachers who will help them succeed as learners.

Redbird Educator alum gives back

For more than 30 years, Nancy Northrip ‘80 has been a consistent guiding light and voice of encouragement for the Golden Apple Foundation and Scholars. She began her career in the elementary classroom, and then she and her husband, Rob, spent 40 years as the owners of Ultimate Gymnastics in Gurnee. She supported the athletic and personal development of more than 1,400 students each week through her gym.

Northrip’s father was a founding member of the Golden Apple Foundation board and taught her and her brothers early on the importance of giving back to their community. As a passionate educator, Northrip knew that she wanted to be involved with Golden Apple and took over her dad’s board seat in the early 1990s. She loves supporting Golden Apple as it is solely focused on awarding, recruiting, and preparing the next generation of outstanding teachers.

“My education at Illinois State was outstanding and totally prepared me for the classroom and my role as an educator at the gym and at Golden Apple,” said Northrip.

Northrip just completed a four-year term as the Golden Apple Foundation Board chair. She is proud that the Golden Apple Foundation continues to evolve to support the development of more future teachers. Among her many contributions, she chaired the education committee when Golden Apple expanded its reach from Chicago to support future teachers across the state of Illinois.

As board chair, she led Golden Apple through the development of a new strategic plan to serve teachers and students outside of Illinois. A few years ago, it expanded into New Mexico because the state was experiencing such a critical teacher shortage that it was using the National Guard as classroom teachers. Last year, it expanded into Michigan.

“Golden Apple and Illinois State have the same goals, and the synergy between the two is perfect,” said Northrip. “Being the board chair has been one of the best experiences of my life, and I’m thankful they had the faith in me to lead the organization.”

Northrip has also mentored multiple teachers and taught a class about communicating with parents of school-age children during the Scholars summer institute for many years.

Northrip and her husband, Rob, support education students and Golden Apple Scholars at Illinois State through their generous scholarship in the College of Education. In 2025, Northrip received the College of Education Legacy Award for her contributions to education and her career as a gymnastics coach.

“It makes my heart sing that ISU is the largest Golden Apple Scholars program because I know they will get a great education and be prepared for the classroom,” said Northrip. “I know it’s the best teachers college, and it’s where I learned everything I know, from being an independent young woman to being a teacher and leader.”