TEACHING AND LEARNING

Virginia Commonwealth University Noyce Initiative:
Educating Secondary Science Teachers for High Need Schools


  • Are you an outstanding VCU science major searching for a meaningful career?
  • Are you interested in teaching middle or high school science?
  • Would you like to earn a masters degree?
  • Do you want a career that has a positive impact on society?
  • Are you interested in a scholarship opportunity of at least $10,000 per year for two years?
  • Are you willing to commit to four years of service as a secondary science teacher in a high need school for each year of scholarship received?

VCU is excited to announce a collaborative effort between The School of Education and The College of Humanities and Sciences in partnership with area school districts including Richmond City, Henrico County, Chesterfield County, and Hopewell City to offer the opportunity for VCU science majors to become secondary science teachers.  The Robert Noyce Scholarship, a National Science Foundation program, provides scholarship funds for talented science majors to become teachers in high need school districts.

Eligibility Requirements for a Noyce Scholar:

  • GPA of 3.0 or higher
  • Major in biology, chemistry, environmental studies, or physics
  • Passing scores on PRAXIS I or SAT scores of 1100 or higher
  • Commit to teaching science in a partner secondary school district for at least two years for every year funding is received
  • Must be a VCU science major with an expected graduation date of 2011 or 2013.
  • US citizen or legal resident

The Benefits

As a Noyce Scholar you will:

  • receive a scholarship of $10,000 towards tuition and expenses for your senior year plus funding of up to $10,000 towards VCU’s Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in the science degree program.
  • experience a year-long clinical experience in a high needs school under the guidance of highly-trained master teachers (Noyce Teaching Fellows) from our partner districts.
  • participate in summer internship programs.
  • receive on-going mentor support from university faculty and during the first two years of teaching.
  • become involved in a rich and ongoing cohort community of secondary science teaching majors.
  • enjoy privileges as a member of the National Science Teacher’s Association Foundation—VCU Student Chapter.
  • take advantage of the opportunity to help those students who need you the most!

What is a High Need District?

A local educational agency that serves a secondary school located in an area in which there is…

  • a high percentage of individuals from families with incomes below the poverty line;
  • a high percentage of second school teachers not teaching in the content area in which the teachers were trained to teach; or
  • a high teacher turnover rate.

 

~funded by the National Science Foundation under grant DUE-0934552~