VFA Activities

VolsTeach for Appalachia Noyce Scholars Program

If you are a Community College student majoring in Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Mathematics, or Physics and would like to work with the next generation of students, this might be the opportunity for you. The VolsTeach for Appalachia Noyce Scholars program is focused on preparing talented community college undergraduates majoring in math and science who are interested in working with students in high need school districts.

Apply Here

Overview

VolsTeach for Appalachia (VFA) is an NSF-funded project (Award Id : 1758325) that \strengthens the STEM teacher pathway from community college to high-need school districts in Appalachian East Tennessee. The project provides rural scholars unique experiences as they become culturally responsive STEM teachers.

The project aims to recruit 32 new STEM teachers in the next two years with the goal of:

• Increasing the number of STEM majors from community colleges that enter and remain in teaching in high-need schools in East Tennessee
• Increasing Noyce teachers’ understanding of Culturally Responsive Teaching practices
• Increasing Noyce teachers’ knowledge of pedagogical practices and content

Benefits

• Financial support which includes up to $12,000 a year in scholarship for the last two years of your program at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
  • Scholarship will need to be renewed once all requirements are met.
• Participation in a paid ($1000) four-week summer Immersion Internship.
• Enhanced field-experience teaching opportunities throughout your VolsTeach experience.
• Mentoring by university faculty as well as public, middle and high school teachers.

Eligibility

• US Citizen, national, or permanent resident alien.
• Major in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Engineering, or Mathematics
• Must have an ACT of 21 or SAT of 1020 or complete and pass the Praxis CORE exam
• Overall GPA: 2.75 
  • Content GPA: 2.5
  • Junior or Senior Standing at a local community college
• Commitment to teach in a high-need school district for two years for each year of funding for scholarship becomes a repayable loan. A high-need school district (e.g. Knox County Schools, Anderson County, Metro Nashville schools, etc.) can be defined in any of the following ways: 
  • Has a high percentage of individuals from families with incomes below the poverty line
  • Has a high percentage of secondary school teachers not teaching in the content area in which the teachers were trained to teach
  • Has a high teacher turnover rate
• Must be accepted to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville prior to June 1, 2022. 
• Priority will be given to applicants who have already been accepted to UTK at the time of application review
• Preference will be given to applicants who have achieved a junior or senior status at the time of admission to UT

Commitment to Diversity

We believe the field of STEM education benefits greatly when teachers reflect the diversity of those they teach. We highly value diversity and encourage minorities and members of underrepresented communities to apply.

We have a rolling deadline, and we are accepting scholarship applications into Spring 2022.

Complete the online application:

• • Write a response detailing your interest in teaching in a high-need school district
  • Two professional recommendations are required; they should address the applicant’s STEM background and potential for teaching.
  • Submission of Post-secondary transcripts (unofficial transcripts permitted)

Apply Here

For more Information:

• Dr. Nick Kim at nkim2@utk.edu
• Dr. Lynn Liao Hodge at lhodge4@utk.edu
• Dr. Ellen Matheny at ebmatheny@pstcc.edu

Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program

The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program “responds to the critical need for K-12 teachers of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by encouraging talented STEM students and professionals to pursue teaching careers in elementary and secondary schools.” It was first authorized under the National Science Foundation Authorization Act of 2002.

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If you are interested in a STEM teaching internship, please contact Dr. Nick Kim at nkim2@utk.edu.

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School Mania- August 5, 2019

We enjoyed being at School Mania to help kick of the school year and get the opportunity to share information about VFA?

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Summer Internship 1- Summer 2019

Our VolsTeach for Appalachia interns participated in a month long summer internship to learn about STEM teaching.

Working with Preschoolers at the Muse of Knoxville

During week 3, the summer STEM teaching interns spent time with preschoolers learning about light.

Hands-On STEM Camp

Hands-on STEM camp provides learning opportunities for our middle school campers and our Noyce teaching interns.

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