A Greenlee Elementary School teacher from Attala County is among six Mississippi State University College of Education students recognized with 2026 Mississippi Professional Educators scholarships.
Lauren Fancher, a sixth-grade math teacher at Greenlee Elementary School, received a $1,000 graduate scholarship from Mississippi Professional Educators as she continues work toward a master’s degree in educational leadership with a concentration in school administration at Mississippi State University.
Fancher holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Mississippi University for Women and has been a member of Mississippi Professional Educators since 2024. Her selection places her among educators from across the state recognized for advancing their training while continuing to serve in Mississippi classrooms.
Founded in 1979, Mississippi Professional Educators is the state’s largest professional organization for educators, serving roughly 12,000 teachers, administrators and support personnel. The group awards scholarships annually to student members at Mississippi’s colleges and universities, including up to 60 $1,000 graduate awards for educators pursuing advanced degrees in-state.
This year’s Mississippi State recipients include educators from Attala, Louisville, Philadelphia, Union and the Western Line school districts. Alongside Fancher, other scholarship winners are pursuing advanced degrees in areas ranging from school administration and special education to educational policy and school psychology.
At Mississippi State’s College of Education, officials say the scholarships highlight the ongoing demand for advanced training among working educators and the university’s role in supporting teachers who remain in Mississippi classrooms while pursuing graduate study.
