The National Science Foundation Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program and Micron Foundation are awarding Nazareth University $1.2 million toward scholarships for students who pursue STEM teaching careers in high-need schools.
Nazareth University is one of four colleges in the country awarded the grant.
“Through this grant, we are equipping educators with the skills and resources they need to help students from underserved populations see themselves in STEM fields by having access to teachers trained in important curriculums necessary to pursue semiconductor careers,” Rosita Najmi, executive director of social impact and Micron Foundation, said in a statement.
Josh Newby, an associate professor of chemistry at Nazareth, said the Noyce Scholars program will help aspiring teachers and it will likely improve educational opportunities for young learners who may go on to pursue careers in science and technology.
“STEM education, it's ingrained in our life,” Newby said. “We can't really get around it. It's always going to be a part of it, and we want the teachers that are coming out of here to have some recognition of that and be strong content experts of science, so that when students are asking them questions, they can give, you know, thoughtful responses and be connected to our modern age.”
The grant will provide support and training for 17 students over the next five years. Each student will receive a $20,000 stipend each year for two years.
Those students are then expected to teach in elementary and secondary schools after graduation.
Newby says while there’s no guarantee that the students will remain in the area after graduation, the university has partnerships with two local districts which he expects will be strengthened by this opportunity.
