College of Science, Health & Engineering

The goal of the Eastern Washington University Robert Noyce Scholarship program is to increase the number and quality of science and mathematics teachers by encouraging majors in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines to become teachers. The progam is an EWU/Spokane Public School partnership and is funded by the National Science Foundation.  Scholarships of up to $16,000 per year are available for twelve STEM majors each year. Recipients must complete teaching certification requirements and commit to serving two years as a mathematics or science teacher in a high-need schools for each year of support.

Scholarship recipients will be placed in inquiry-based classrooms working with highly qualified math and science teachers, in high need schools. Scholarship recipients will work directly with EWU faculty and K-12 mentor teachers to deliver highly effective inquiry-based curricula.

Applicants will be recruited through various avenues including "try teaching" science internships and opportunities to work with children in after school math and science tutoring programs. Freshmen and sophomores will be recruited from underrepresented populations for summer internships by working with advisors from Africana, Chicano and Indian Studies. Summer interns will work with the Kalispel Tribal children doing math integrated ecological studies at Turnbull Refuge for one week and then the interns will work with underserved/underrepresented children at the YMCA and a community center for four weeks.

Some of the important elements of the project include:

• Providing excellent field experiences for scholarship recipients in inquiry and other engaged teaching methods with highly qualified mentor teachers;
• Placing scholarship recipients in high schools to prepare them for their future teaching experiences;
• Building on relationships with the Kalispel Tribe and other service agencies serving low-income youth to provide summer internships for students who want to "try teaching";
• Providing academic year experiences for science and math students to "try teaching";
• Developing scholarship recipients into a professional learning community, so they can continue to support each other while teaching; and
• Offering personalized professional development and curriculum development services to mentor teachers, thus improving their capacity to teach with methods shown to increase student learning.

Eligibility:

• U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien
• Fit one one of these two categories:
  • Declared STEM major within 2 years of graduation in a STEM discipline. Or,
  • Possess STEM degree and pursuing STEM teaching certification in post-baccalaureate status.

To apply, go to:  Noyce Application Procedures

Project Staff:

Keith Adolphson, PhD, Mathematics Department, Project Director

Heather McKean, MS, Biology

Kevin Pyatt, PhD, Education

Barbara Alvin, PhD, Mathematics

Margaret O'Connell, PhD, Biology

S.Dean Crews, PhD; Counseling, Education & Developmental Psychology; Project Evaluator