Citadel Awarded Grant for Science Teachers

The National Science Foundation has awarded The Citadel a five-year grant of $1.2 million from the National Science Foundation for the Robert Noyce Teaching Scholarship Program.

The award funds scholarships encouraging talented students and professionals in STEM fields to become K-12 mathematics and science teachers.The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program will provide funds to allow The Citadel to recruit and prepare up to 30 new effective teachers of mathematics and science for high-need schools in South Carolina during the next five years.

In return for a commitment to teach in one of the identified high-need school districts for two years for each year of scholarship support, Noyce Teacher Scholarship recipients will receive funds to cover tuition costs as well as individualized plans of study, advising and mentoring by current educators when they start teaching to ensure their success in the classroom.

During the five-year grant period, project RECON will recruit 10 undergraduate juniors majoring in biology or chemistry at The Citadel and train them to be effective science educators. The program will also recruit up to 20 STEM professionals who are considering second careers in education to participate in one of The Citadel’s innovative Accelerated Master of Arts in Teaching programs in biology or mathematics.

“Encouraging students to pursue careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, known collectively as the STEM disciplines, is critically important to the economic advancement of the region and the nation,” said Col. Lok Lew Yan Voon, dean of The Citadel School of Science and Mathematics.

“The Robert Noyce Teaching scholarship grant will significantly enhance The Citadel’s ability to produce a talented pool of passionate and highly qualified STEM teachers for the Lowcountry.

”The Citadel’s School of Education, School of Science and Mathematics, and STEM Center of Excellence have developed partnerships with high-need school districts in Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester 4 and Hampton 1 counties to establish the RECON program, so named because it will recruit, educate, certify, and obtain new K-12 teachers. Participating educators will be equipped with the pedagogical skills and content knowledge needed to inspire students and prepare future STEM professionals.

Undergraduate Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship recipients will have their tuition costs covered as follows: cadets will receive full coverage for their tuition costs (approximately $22,000 per year) and veteran students will qualify for more than $10,000. Professionals enrolled in the graduate program will receive $525 per credit hour for up to 36 total hours. Applications are currently being accepted, and special consideration will be given to applicants from traditionally underrepresented populations in STEM fields to facilitate participation by a diverse group of educators.

To apply or view the scholarship criteria, visit www.citadel.edu/root/ssm-scholarships-awards or contact Glenda LaRue at 843-953-7121.

About the Robert Noyce Foundation
The Robert Noyce Foundation was created by the Noyce family in 1990 to honor the memory and legacy of Dr. Robert N. Noyce, co-founder of Intel and inventor of the integrated circuit that fueled the personal computer revolution and gave Silicon Valley its name. The foundation aims to promote the qualities that Noyce embodied: optimism, creativity, risk-taking, and determination, with a particular emphasis on increasing the pipeline of students committed to careers in mathematics and science.