Four cohorts each consisting of four undergraduate STEM majors are being offered annual scholarships of $12,000 for up to three years to complete the STEM baccalaureate degree and receive secondary teacher certification. Five cohorts of three individuals already possessing a STEM degree are receiving one year scholarships of $10,000 each to gain teaching certification via the Alternate Licensure program. Over the five year project period a total of 77 one year scholarships are being awarded to 31 individuals. Each year five summer internships are available to lower division undergraduates to actively participate in the organization, planning and implementation of informal science outreach activities with the aim of attracting these students into a teaching career. Currently the institution produces about 8 science teachers a year through the regular teacher education program and about 4 science teachers a year through the alternative licensure program. This project is having a broad impact on the number of science teachers produced who are able to teach primarily in the rural areas of New Mexico. These teachers provide high quality science education to at least 500 students annually and infuse the cadre of STEM teachers with highly trained individuals grounded in both content and pedagogical knowledge who provide junior high and high school students the opportunity to participate in inquiry-based, experiential learning.
