The Catawba College Noyce Scholars project brings together Catawba College with Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and the Rowan-Salisbury Schools to focus on the recruitment, preparation, and retention of STEM majors in teaching careers by blending academic preparation, professional community-building, and field experiences. To achieve these goals, the Catawba College Noyce Scholarship project has three phases: Exploratory Internships, Scholarships, and Collegial Support Networks. The Exploratory Internship component provides paid internships for up to 60 freshmen and sophomore students pursuing STEM majors at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College to experience teaching and recruit them to pursue a career in K-12 education. The project supports eighteen STEM majors with $18,000 scholarships in their junior and senior years of college to pursue a major in a STEM discipline and licensure in teaching at Catawba College. The program prepares STEM educators in a broad range of disciplines (biology, chemistry, environmental science, or mathematics) that are capable of teaching at a variety of grade levels by offering rigorous coursework in STEM disciplines and teacher preparation, enriched by opportunities that build social and cultural capital in the sciences and education. To supplement course work, the Scholars complete mentored experiences within the local school system, Rowan-Salisbury Schools, and in research laboratories to gain understanding of both STEM and education fields.
In addition, Noyce Scholars engage in activities that build social and cultural capital in the profession of education, providing a support network for retention and success during their training and careers in teaching. These activities include a cohort-building retreat and a Mentoring Program, where Scholars engage in field experiences in the classroom of a highly-effective teacher in Rowan-Salisbury Schools (RSS), the local public school system, to familiarize the Scholar with culture of public education. The Mentoring programming has the added benefit of developing a social network that supports the Scholars during their induction years. Following graduation, Scholars are required to work for four years in a high-need school district as a condition of receiving the scholarship. To support the Scholars during their induction into teaching, continued mentoring and financial support are provided. As classroom teachers, Noyce Scholars receive funds to attend a state STEM education conference and to purchase classroom supplies.
