CN-STEM

A Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program

A Collaborative Network to Increase the Number of High-Quality Secondary School STEM Teachers in Georgia (CN-STEM) is the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program at Columbus State University (CSU). The Program is a cooperation with the Muscogee County School District (MCSD) to recruit and prepare secondary school mathematics, computer science, and science teachers to meet the needs of students in high-need school districts. This program is funded by the National Science Foundation grant number: 1852688. A summary of the components of the grant are provided below.

Scholarships

The main purpose of the grant is to recruit secondary STEM teachers through a scholarship program. This competitive opportunity offers $7,500/semester for eligible students during their last 4 semesters prior to graduation. Students must be enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program in either science, mathematics or computer science, that offers a track to teacher certification (UTeach Columbus Program), or already have a content bachelor’s seeking a post-baccalaureate secondary STEM teaching certification. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is preferred, and accepted scholars will need to participate in service activities in local schools and participate in seminars twice a semester. In exchange, scholars commit to teaching 1 year in a high-need school district for each semester of funding, or a maximum of 4 years.

Internships

For those earlier in their program of study, internships are available. Interns receive $750/semester of participation and are required to complete the same service requirements for scholarship recipients; however the teaching requirement after graduation, however, is not of the internship, only the scholarship. Participation as an intern is one of the factors considered when evaluating scholars.

Service and Community of Reflective Practitioners Seminar

Each semester the interns and scholars are required to provide 30 hours of service in a high need school district in association with a mentor teacher. Also, twice a semester all interns, scholars and mentor teachers meet in seminars designed to explore topics related to teaching in a high need middle or high school.

For additional information please contact Dr. Michael Dentzau at dentzau_michael@columbusstate.edu or phone at 706-507-8551.