Four Teacher Education Program students awarded 2021 Marika Ann Critelli Memorial Fellowships

Sophia Bajak, Haley Hamman, Lupita (Maria) Mendez, and Lili Talkin of UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School have received 2020-2021 Marika Ann Critelli Memorial Fellowships for Community Service. This fellowship is designated for Teacher Education Program (TEP) credential candidates who demonstrate a personal dedication to bettering the lives of others through volunteer service – either through their own efforts and/or by providing opportunities for K12 students to engage in activities that benefit either local or global communities of people. Sophia Bajak, Lupita Mendez, and Lili Talkin are pursuing multiple subject teaching credentials. Haley Hamman is pursuing an Education Specialist Credential.

This endowed scholarship honors Marika Ann Critelli, the daughter of beloved emerita Gevirtz School of Education faculty member Ann Lippincott. Marika grew up in and around the school’s Teacher Education Program. Her mother’s colleagues remember Marika as a small child – as yet unable to read and write – happily “filling out” TEP applications while her mother taught class. When she was twelve years old, Marika began her own recycling business with the Gevirtz School as one of her first clients. For the rest of her too-brief but highly-accomplished life, Marika Critelli was guided by a deep desire to serve her fellow human beings and improve the world we all share. This fellowship recognizes and encourages graduate students, who, like Marika, see the potential for positive change in this world and act accordingly, inspiring others with their commitment and creativity.