Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) and 14 high need school district partners are preparing science, mathematics and engineering professionals for certification in grades 6-12 through OLLU's successful Master of Education Non-Traditional Teacher Certification (MENTC) program The MENTC program is a 42-semester-hour program for the M.Ed. but certification can be obtained after 36 semester-hours. The latter includes course work and a two-year paid internship in a public or private secondary school. This three-year program prepares students to be eligible to apply for the Texas State teaching certification in one of three areas. By choosing to take one course more than required for the certification, the student would also qualify with a master's degree in education. The National Science Foundation Robert Noyce Scholarship Program funds the first year that consists of 30 semester-hours of course work including 12 semester-hours of science. During the second and third years of the program, the student is employed as the "teacher of record" with a public or private high school at regular salary and completes the remainder of the certification coursework. Because the MENTC program is offered in OLLU's Weekend College, the courses do not interfere with weekday employment while the professional prepares for the internship and eventual certification. During the internship, the student is under the supervision of university faculty. The OLLU Science and Mathematics Education Center (SMEC) offers a variety of workshops on specific aspects of professional development, implementation of classroom standards, and various science and mathematics kits and paraphernalia available to the Noyce scholars. This program is preparing 44 (11 per year) STEM professionals to be certified as secondary science or mathematics teachers for service in high need area high schools.
