ISTEP PROGRAM
Make a difference as a STEM teacher
Teachers have a unique opportunity to make a difference in the lives of kids. Teaching in a STEM field can allow you to stay connected with the discipline you love while inspiring children to see it as a possible option for their lives and careers.
The ISTEP-Noyce project at Saint Mary’s is designed to increase the number of secondary (grades 5 through 12) STEM teachers from diverse backgrounds committed to teaching in high-need schools through financial support, training, and mentoring.
Whether you’re a current undergraduate student — or have a STEM degree and want to pursue a Master of Arts in Teaching degree — this program can help fund your education and prepare you to make a difference.
By accepting the Noyce undergraduate scholarship, you agree to teach for two years for every one year of scholarship support in a high need school, according to a definition set by the National Science Foundation. For graduate students, you agree to teach for two years in a high need district in exchange for the stipend.
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Highlights
- Receive generous tuition support throughout your program:
- Undergrad: Two years of scholarship support to meet unmet financial needs (approximately $18,000 annually)
- Grad: A stipend of $19,500 to be applied over the course of your studies
- Earn your master’s degree online while working full-time in as little as two years. Or you can earn it at the Winona Campus attending full-time in as little as one year. Our M.A. in Education program offers both initial MN licensing pathways and classroom teaching experience.
- Post-graduation mentoring
- Teach what you love. Math, biology and other biological sciences, chemistry, or physics.
What does it mean to teach in a high-need local educational agency?
The term “high-need local educational agency” is defined by the Higher Education Act of 1965 as a school district that has at least one school in which 50% of students are eligible for free or reduced lunch, 34% or more teachers are not licensed or certified or are teaching out-of-field, or there is a 15% or higher attrition rate for teachers within the last three years.
Noyce Scholar, Evelyn Sanchez wants to show future generations that everyone can learn STEM.
“I want to show my Mexican-American community that we can become STEM educators. I want to see more people like me, standing in front of the classroom.”
Likewise, Simon Warmkagathje knows education is the way he can make a difference.
Kelsey Philipsek is working toward her M.A. in Teaching degree at Saint Mary’s, where she was recently named a Noyce Scholar.
“My goal is for students to realize that math isn’t a barrier to pursuing something that they want,” she said.
Frequently Asked Questions
Undergraduates
- ISTEP-Noyce Scholars are Secondary Education majors in the fields of Biology, Chemistry, or Mathematics from diverse backgrounds who are currently underrepresented in STEM education.
- “Diverse backgrounds” includes: racial/ethnic diversity, gender diversity, first-generation college student status, and those who are Pell-eligible.
- Most of the undergraduate experiences will happen on the Winona Campus. Scholars also will have opportunities to travel to other locations for experiences working with diverse populations.
Graduates
- ISTEP-Noyce Scholars are students who have STEM degrees and are pursuing a Master of Arts in Teaching degree to become a secondary education teacher in a STEM related field. Both initial Minnesota licensing pathways and classroom teaching experience are offered through this graduate teaching program.
- You can earn your master’s degree in as little as one year at the Winona Campus, or in two to three years online while still working full time.
Undergraduates and graduates
- Become a licensed MN Teacher
- Teach at a high-need school for two years for each year of scholarship or stipend support
Applications now being accepted. Please contact Dr. Jack McClure at 612-728-5216 or email istep-noyce@smumn.edu for more application materials.