Thursday, October 9, 2008

UMass Dartmouth scores $750K worth of STEM teaching scholarships

By Mass High Tech Staff

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth has landed $750,000 from the National Science Foundation to help recruit K-12 teachers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

The gift establishes the Robert Noyce Scholarship Program, a five-year program that provides scholarships to undergraduates majoring in STEM fields who commit to serving as teachers in high-need, South Coast districts after graduating. The school expects 28 students to participate.

Noyce scholars will be recruited in their sophomore year and will provide math and science tutoring in high-needs area schools during their junior year. In their senior year, the scholars will receive a $10,000 scholarship while gaining teaching experience in high-needs schools by interning with middle school and high school math and science teachers. Upon graduation, they will receive an additional $10,000 in support of their master’s in teaching studies.

Under the NSF grant, faculty from UMass Dartmouth’s new School of Education, Public Policy and Civic Engagement will also work with local K-12 educators to improve teaching practices and student attainment. The faculty will also coach the Noyce scholars. The program’s partner school districts include Fall River, New Bedford, Wareham, Brockton and Taunton. 

The Massachusetts STEM initiative’s STEM Summit is scheduled for October 28 in Sturbridge, with Nobel laureate Craig Mello of UMass Medical School as keynote speaker.