Benefits of the OwlsTeach Program

In addition to receiving a full scholarship, students in the OwlsTeach Program (“Noyce Scholars”) receive additional support to be successful throughout the program.

 

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.
    • For example, as a 2022 Noyce Scholar and physics 7-12 major, Andrew M. is participating in an NSF funded project in which he will have opportunities to work with faculty in SCSU's Department of Physics, as well as partners from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Lowell Observatory, to construct instrumentation for astronomical imaging. He will also be supported by SCSU Department of Curriculum and Learning faculty to develop related curricular modules for use in high school physics instruction. 
  • 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.

 

Apply for the Noyce Teaching Scholarship

 

NSF Noyce Grant Leadership Team

Carrie-Ann Sherwood

     
Dr. Carrie-Anne Sherwood

Principal Investigator

SCSU Department of Curriculum & Learning
  

Younhee Lee

    
Dr. Younhee Lee

Co-Principal Investigator

SCSU Department of Mathematics
       

Christine Broadbridge

     
Dr. Christine Broadbridge

Co-Principal Investigator

SCSU Department of Physics
    

Adiel Coca

    
Dr. Adiel Coca

Co-Principal Investigator

SCSU Department of Chemistry
    

 

Susan Spencer
Co-Principal Investigator
GCC Mathematics and Natural Science Department