Pathway 1: Undergraduate Math and Science Majors

To be eligible for the Noyce Teaching Scholarship you must...

• Be an undergraduate at SCSU (or a student able to transfer to SCSU)
• Have declared a major in science or mathematics and be on track to complete this degree by the end of the two-year scholarship (“senior year”).
• Have and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8
• Be a U.S. citizen or national, or permanent resident alien.
• Be admitted to the SCSU College of Education (see requirements below)
• Commit to teaching for four years in a high-need school district upon graduation.
• Participate in all semi-annual and annual submission of demographic/employment/education related survey information associated with the Noyce Scholarship program.
     

Recipients will be selected on the basis of academic merit and for potential success as teachers in high-needs schools. Consideration will be given to financial need and with the goal of achieving diversity in the program, particularly of people traditionally underrepresented in STEM teaching. A selection committee will evaluate the applications, conduct interviews and select recipients.

Students currently attending other institutions as math and science majors (or even general/liberal studies majors with an interest in math and science!) are especially encouraged to transfer to Southern and apply for our Noyce teaching scholarship!

If you are interested in transferring to Southern and majoring in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) field please contact the Assistant Director of Advising for STEM, Carleen Roy-Butler, who is able to provide excellent assistance, and who will work with our team to help you apply for the scholarship. If you are a current student at CT State and have questions about transferring to Southern and the Noyce Scholarship program, please email Susan Spencer, the Noyce Program lead at CT State Gateway Campus.

Students in the OwlsTeach Program ("Noyce Scholars") receive the following benefits:

• Full scholarship (tuition and fees, and up to $800 for textbooks) for up to two years (junior and senior year) while in the teaching certification program.
• Faculty Mentorship: You will have personal access to dedicated faculty advisors and mentors in BOTH your science/math major and in education to support your academic and/or social-emotional needs.
• Peer Mentorship: You will have opportunities to attend “Brown Bag” lunches, or “Tea Time” meetings, the purpose of which is to provide a space for you to socialize and network with your peers about both academic and personal topics.
• Alumni Mentorship: Noyce Scholars who have graduated and obtained teaching jobs will be regularly invited to return back to campus to interact with current Noyce Scholars and provide insights into successful completion of the program, advice for applying for and obtaining a job following graduation, and suggestions for the first year(s) of teaching in a high-needs school.
• Practical Experiences in STEM and EDU: As part of your preparation to become a teacher, you will be required to complete many hours of fieldwork in Connecticut’s high-needs public schools. You will also be encouraged to participate in scientific research with a faculty member in your major, and be supported to participate in additional experiences that will cultivate your identity as a STEM teacher: e.g., attend lectures and workshops of invited STEM professionals;  present publicly on a completed project or project in progress to practice public speaking skills; participate in a PK-12 STEM program on or off campus, etc. Please see the Meet Our Scholars page for examples of the kinds of extracurricular work our scholars do!
• Financial support to obtain teaching certification: As a Noyce Scholar, the SCSU College of Education will pay for the required state teaching certification examinations (edTPA and Praxis 2), which can be quite expensive.

Additional supports:

• Meetings with representatives from SCSU’s Center for Academic Success and Accessibility Services (CASAS)
• Tutoring provided by peer Academic Specialists
• Writing Support
• Peer-led study groups
• Peer Academic Leaders (PALS) Program;
• Professional and Peer Academic Success Coaching
• edTPA writing workshops & writing groups
• Meetings with representatives from University Counseling to discuss mental health resources

After Graduation

After successful completion of the OwlsTeach Program, SCSU, in partnership with area school districts, will continue to support Noyce Scholars for their first three years of teaching. Scholars will participate in Connecticut’s TEAM mentoring program for new teachers, and will have community support through both online contact and semi-annual cohort gatherings.

How much money is awarded through the Noyce Scholarship? 
Pathway 1 scholars receive tuition and fees, and up to $800 for textbooks for each semester of full-time enrollment.

How are Noyce Scholars selected? 
Recipients will be selected on the basis of academic merit and for potential success as teachers in high-needs schools. Consideration will be given to financial need and with the goal of achieving diversity in the program, particularly of people traditionally underrepresented in STEM teaching. A selection committee will evaluate the applications, conduct interviews and select recipients. 

What if I fail to meet the teaching requirements after graduation? 
If you fail to meet either the academic (e.g., minimum GPA) or service (i.e., teaching) requirements of the OwlsTeach program, your scholarship will convert into a zero-interest loan. You will have to pay back some or all of the loan, depending upon the how much of the program you successfully completed the program prior to leaving/removal from the program. This will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

I am undocumented. Can I receive the scholarship? 
Each Noyce Scholar must be a U.S. citizen or national, or permanent resident alien.

What long-term support is there for Noyce Graduates? 
After successful completion of the OwlsTeach Program, SCSU, in partnership with area school districts, will continue to support Noyce Scholars for their first three years of teaching. Scholars will participate in Connecticut’s TEAM mentoring program for new teachers, and will have community support through both online contact and semi-annual cohort gatherings.