When Christine Rogers honored the memory of her beloved identical twin, Ernestine, with the Ernestine Rogers Annual Scholarship in the College of Education, she had no idea the first recipient also would be an identical twin. Rogers met Regina Elamri, the inaugural Rogers scholar, at the college's 2012-13 Scholarship Award Ceremony and Reception on May 17, 2012, at the Community Arts Auditorium.

Elamri chose to attend Wayne State University because of its proximity to her home and its strong reputation. She graduated from the College of Education in December with a degree in secondary education, majoring in history and minoring in political science. Elamri plans to take four classes required for an additional social studies major. She then hopes to find a job teaching history in fall 2013.

The Rogers scholarship is of great support to Elamri, who did not have the financial resources to attend college on her own and felt stressed about taking out loans. "Receiving the scholarship is important to me because it meant I could finish my undergraduate degree without having to take a semester off," Elamri said. "After being awarded the scholarship, I learned more about Ernestine from Christine, and was surprised to find out that she was an identical twin as well."

Christine and Ernestine Rogers were inseparable throughout their lives. They majored in education, graduating from Wayne State in 1954, and earned master's degrees at the university in 1957. The twins lived together on Detroit's near east side and spent their teaching careers in the Detroit Public School system at elementary schools not far from each other. "We loved our time at Wayne State and we loved teaching," said Christine Rogers.

"During lunch and breaks with the other teachers, we were always helping each other out, discussing teaching challenges and solutions. We taught at elementary schools on the near east side of Detroit until we retired in 1987. We had wonderful careers," she said.

When Ernestine lost her battle with cancer in July 2011, her final wish was to create a scholarship in the College of Education. "I cannot think of a more meaningful way to honor the memory of my sister than to help students in the College of Education," Rogers said. "The chance that the first scholarship would be awarded to an identical twin is rare indeed. Ernestine always had a keen sense of humor and this coincidence makes me smile."

For more information on how to create a scholarship in the College of Education, contact Joanne Osmer at 313-577-1664 or email josmer@wayne.edu.