This scholarship program is recruiting freshmen and sophomore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors to become credentialed secondary STEM teachers through a collaborative effort by the WV University College of Human Resources and Education, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, the WV Center for Professional Development, and the WV Regional Education Service Agencies (RESA) III, V, VII, and VIII. The project provides scholarships for 20 students to complete the Benedum Collaborative Five-year teacher education program. Scholarship recipients earn a STEM bachelor's degree, as well as a master's degree in education upon completing the program. The program objectives are to: 1) Increase retention of students who traditionally leave STEM majors; 2) Attract freshmen and sophomore students to elementary and secondary STEM teacher certification; 3) Provide a continuum of mentoring services through collaborative advising from STEM content mentors and STEM education mentors; 4) Increase the number of graduates with 5-12 STEM education certification, and 5) provide a supportive environment for the new teachers. The pedagogical strategies, specifically teaching science content in the context of societal issues through Science, Technology and Society (STS) approaches, appeal to underrepresented groups, thus expanding the pool of those who could potentially become interested in STEM fields. A focus on the need for 5-12 STEM teachers, along with assignments to encourage STEM students to "think like teachers", are utilized to encourage these students' interest in teaching as a career.
