Dr. Charlotte M. Boener was born on February 28, 1927 in Minneapolis. She always made education a priority in her life and held on to the belief that all should be educated. After graduating from Ramsey High School, she attended the University of Minnesota and obtained her degree in Chemistry. Her hard work paid off as she made her way through graduate school where she earned her master’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Arizona. Dr. Boener obtained her teacher’s license and taught junior high students for nine years.
After teaching, she wanted to expand her horizons so she began her journey to obtain her Ph.D. in science education, biology, and Chemistry. Upon graduating, she changed her focus to teaching science education at Indiana State University to students who were aspiring to become junior high and high school teachers themselves. Dr. Boener retired in 2000 after 35 years of teaching. Out of all the schools that she attended and had been around, Indiana State University held a special place in her heart and so she remained active at the University.
Dr. Charlotte M. Boener passed away at the age of 79 on December 5, 2006. A granite memorial bench was erected on the campus of Indiana State University to honor the legacy that she left behind. The Dr. Charlotte M. Boener Scholarship Fund was established by a bequest in Charlotte’s will. The purpose of this fund is to provide scholarships to Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana for students who are studying in preparation for careers in teaching science in elementary or middle school education.
Dr. Boener’s financial advisor, Gene E. Griffin, stated, “Dr. Boener knew what she wanted to do with her personal resources. Her wishes were to make sure that quality science education continued in the elementary and middle school settings. She taught teachers for years and believed strongly in the quality of education at Indiana State University. She wanted to make sure that tradition continued. By working with the Foundation, we made that happen.”
(To apply contact Indiana State University.)
Eligibility requires that:
- You are a U.S. resident
- Pursuing a major in Teacher Education at Indiana State University with a focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering or math) related areas
- Preference will be given to those applicants who are enrolled in Elementary Education or who express their desire to teach at the middle school level
- Preference will be given to those seeking or who have obtained admission to the BCP-1, BCP-2, or BCP III (or other similar admission requirements) of the teacher preparation program
- The scholarship is renewable of a 3.0 grade point average and a grade of a C+ or higher on all required professional education courses.
