This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
The Western Kentucky University (WKU) Science and Mathematics Alliance for Recruitment and Retention of Teachers (WKU SMARRT) is designed to help alleviate the shortage of highly qualified STEM educators by increasing the number of mathematics and science majors who choose teaching as a career and by providing mentoring before and after graduation, leading to higher retention rates for new teachers. A key element of the program's comprehensive recruiting program is the WKU SMARRT Summer Internship Program. The program offers ten internships each summer to help steer undergraduate STEM students' career interests in the direction of teaching by exposing them to enthusiastic role models in education and provides scholarships to 39 STEM majors enrolled in WKU's SkyTeach preservice program. STEM majors are selected as WKU SMARRT Scholars, based, in part, on their successful accumulation of educational service hours by engaging in science or mathematics educational outreach activities in the community. The required educational service gives STEM majors a chance to experience real-life math and science education and allow them to verify whether being a teacher is the right career choice for them. The program provides a financial incentive for undergraduate STEM students to pursue teacher certification by awarding Noyce Scholarships in the amount of $10,000 to qualified juniors and seniors who commit to teaching in partnering high need school districts in Kentucky, including Bowling Green Independent School District, Edmonson County, Metcalfe County, Monroe County, and Owensboro School Districts. The preservice students participate in cyber-mentoring, cyber-networking, and "sneak-peaks" into the teaching profession through membership in professional organizations. To further support Noyce Scholars, the leadership team provides formal and informal opportunities for post-graduation mentoring by continuing the cyber component and holding meetings at state or local professional meetings. A partnership with WKU's Minority Teacher Recruitment Center and the Office of Disability Services is assisting with the recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented groups.
