Natalie Tidler '24M

The Watson College is pleased to announce that Natalie Tidler ’24M is a fall 2024 Hattie M. Strong Scholarship recipient. Natalie is originally from Leesburg, Virginia. She earned a degree in political science at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY before enrolling in the Master of Arts in Teaching program in Elementary Education at UNCW’s Watson College.

“Growing up, my teachers were my biggest inspirations,” she said. “They always made their classrooms so warm and welcoming. I want to be that inspiration for the next generation of children. Also, as a person of color, I did not always see representation in schools. My teachers did not look like me. I want to be a teacher to show students that you do not have to fit a certain stereotype. It is so important for young students to see representation which can create a sense of comfort and belonging.”

Natalie said she has found many opportunities at the Watson College that have helped her prepare for her teaching career.

“From the first semester, I got to be in the classroom,” she said. “I believe that you can only learn so much from a textbook when it comes to teaching; it is about authentic experiences that allow you to form thoughts and feelings about your own teaching philosophy and methods. Watson has done an amazing job of preparing me to feel confident about myself and my abilities as a teacher because by the time I got to my internship semester, I had already spent plenty of hours in the classroom, crafting lessons and building relationships with students.”

“Another big aspect of Watson is the Education Lab,” she added. “This gave me a hands-on experience to craft personal lessons for one child. This experience was so much fun, and it helped show me my creativity as a teacher and my ability to cater lessons to student needs.”

Natalie is currently completing an internship in a fifth grade classroom at North Topsail Elementary School in Pender County. She said the Hattie M. Strong scholarship helped her to pursue her dream of being a teacher.

“The scholarship has allowed me to financially relax and focus on being in the classroom during my internship semester,” she said. “Last year I worked to help fund graduate school, but the Hattie M. Strong scholarship has helped fund this semester, allowing me to fully immerse myself in student-teaching. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have been given; this scholarship has helped me succeed and thrive this semester.”

Natalie said she is looking forward to beginning her teaching career after graduation, and hopes to become a running coach as well. 

“During my undergraduate studies, I was a member of my school's Division 1 track and field team,” she said. “Running is a big part of who I am today. One of my career goals is to coach Girls on the Run. In elementary school, I started running with Girls on the Run, and I think it is so important to inspire girls to pursue their dreams. I want to share my love of running with students.”

About the Hattie M. Strong Scholarship Awards

The Hattie M. Strong Foundation has helped aspiring students achieve a college degree since 1928. Today, HMSF’s primary activity is to provide scholarships for students enrolled in teacher training programs at partnering institutions to help reduce financial pressure during the student internship semester, when a student’s ability to offset expenses with outside employment is curtailed by the rigor of full-time work in the classroom.

The Watson College joined a select group of institutions as a Hattie M. Strong Foundation partner in 2013. This valuable partnership enabled the College to award two $5,000 Hattie M. Strong scholarships to WCE interns for the fall 2024 semester.