The STEM Bridge for Noyce Scholars Project is managed by the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) School of Education, and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Institute, a leader in pre-service and in-service teacher education and educational research. The project awards scholarships to 32 undergraduates preparing to become secondary science or mathematics teachers. It is specifically designed to attract and support non-traditional, minority, and low-income students who will be able to receive their licensure as undergraduates. Scholars are drawn primarily from the community colleges and the UMass University Without Walls program, which serves non-traditional students. The program assists scholars by providing them with an introductory course in math and science teaching, academic and social events, as well as mentoring and advising. Scholars participate in a New Teacher Support Group and attend both Saturday Science and Engineering Seminars and STEM education seminars. They also have the opportunity to enroll in several innovative M.Ed. programs. A longitudinal study of STEM Bridge scholars is used to evaluate the effectiveness of the program, including the qualifications of its graduates and their retention rates.
