September 16, 2008

Fellowship available for prospective math, science teachers

Purdue University has joined Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Ball State University and the University of Indianapolis in offering admission to an enriched master's degree program, clinical experience, ongoing mentoring, and a $30,000 stipend for each of the 80 candidates selected.

The 20 fellows selected for Purdue must commit to teach for three years in a rural school.

Applications, which are due Dec. 15, can be completed online at: https://www.woodrow.org/INteach . Purdue's fellows will begin their studies in the summer of 2009.

Connie Bond, Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowships program officer, will present an overview of the fellowship program and answer questions from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 8 in the Lawson Computer Science Building, Room 1142. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Bond says the fellowship is one way to address the shortage of highly-trained teachers in these fields.

"This fellowship is crucial not only for the nation and Indiana as they cultivate tomorrow’s workforce, but also for young people who deserve excellent teachers in these fields," Bond says. 'We also want to elevate the status of teaching, because it's the teachers who are on the front lines of shaping our future."

Arthur Levine, foundation president, is confident the fellowships will attract top-notch candidates who get excited at the prospect of reaching out to students in high-need classrooms.

"There might be a math major who's still in school but is beginning to think that the lab, lecture hall or corporate cubicle isn't where he or she wants to be," Levine says. "It might fit an engineer who's retiring early and still wants to have an impact. It might fit a research chemist who's a few years into the profession but wants a change. It might fit any number of really bright people. If they bring the passion and intellectual foundation, we'll show them how to transform it into great teaching."

Sidney Moon, associate dean of education at Purdue, says more than 40 rural schools, including New Tech High School in Rochester, Ind., will serve as program partners with Purdue. Candidates who do not meet the criteria for a fellowship will have the opportunity to enroll in Purdue's STEM Goes Rural master's program and participate in all of the activities that will be provided to fellows. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math.

"STEM Goes Rural teachers will engage students in exciting, hands-on activities that link science and math education to rural communities and issues," Moon says. "Purdue researchers associated with the project will investigate factors that increase achievement and facilitate the development of STEM talent in rural schools."

Moon says Purdue is looking for people who have a passion to teach and want to take advantage of Purdue resources.

"Participants will be closely associated with the Center for Research and Engagement in Science and Mathematics Education and will have the opportunity to interact with leading scientists and engineers," Moon says. "In addition, they will participate in an innovative 'transition to teaching' master's program that emphasizes early experiences in schools and provides candidates with the skills to become highly engaging teachers."

Levine says Purdue has a lot to offer fellowship applicants.

"Purdue not only has a strong education faculty, but also tremendous strength in the sciences and engineering," Levine says. "It attracts some of the state's best students and has a far-reaching base of alumni who are leaders in technological fields."

The Woodrow Wilson Indiana Teaching Fellowship is funded by a 10 million grant from Lilly Endowment.

Known since 1945 for its competitive fellowships, the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation counts among its fellows 13 Nobel Laureates, 35 MacArthur “genius grant” fellows and two Fields Medalists in mathematics, among other intellectual leaders and top scholars.

Writer: Marydell Forbes, (765) 496-7704, mforbes@purdue.edu

Sources: Sidney Moon, (765) 494-0019, sidney@purdue.edu

Beverly Sanford, Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation vice president for communications, (609) 452-7007 ext. 181, Sanford@woodrow.org

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: The media are invited to cover Connie Bond's presentation. To make arrangements, contact Marydell Forbes, Purdue News Service, at (765) 496-7704, mforbes@purdue.edu

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