The Noyce Scholars and Interns Program at the University of Portland is a comprehensive partnership between the University's College of Arts and Sciences, the Shiley School of Engineering, the School of Education, the Moreau Center for Service and Leadership, Saturday Academy, and Portland Public Schools. The program is increasing the number of highly-trained K-12 STEM teachers graduating from the MAT program at the University who teach in high-needs schools. Noyce Interns are working as teaching assistants in Saturday Academy classes for students in grades 2-12. Noyce Scholars are STEM majors, at least 25% of whom are mathematics, engineering, and computer science majors, and career-changing STEM professionals who are being trained to be reflective teachers dedicated to social justice through education. Noyce Scholars are serving two years as teachers in high-needs schools for each year of scholarship. The project has 8 MAT scholars, 16 Noyce scholars and also supports 24 summer interns. Through assessment, the program is helping STEM and Education faculty determine effective strategies and practices for recruiting and supporting STEM majors and STEM professionals who work to become K-12 teachers. The principal investigator (PI) and Co-PIs are presenting the development and implementation of the program, as well as lessons learned, at national and regional STEM and STEM education conferences in order to help peer institutions set up similar programs. The project is addressing a critical need for highly-trained STEM educators in the Portland Public School system, strengthening ties between divisions of the University of Portland and Portland Public Schools, and bolstering the STEM teaching community in the Pacific Northwest.
