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UNT Insider | August 2008 Issue | Teach North Texas |
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Grant will provide scholarships to future math, computer science and science teachersFrom a UNT News Service press release |
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Teach North Texas received a $150,000 grant from the Greater Texas Foundation Math and Science Scholarship Program to educate future teachers. About $40,000 will be awarded in student scholarships over the next two academic years, says John Quintanilla, co-director of the program and an associate math professor. The remaining $110,000 will be placed in an endowment for future years. Program leaders hope to eventually raise at least $1 million for that endowment by 2012, which would then be matched, up to $1 million, by the National Math and Science Initiative. Teach North Texas, or TNT, is a joint venture by the colleges of Arts and Sciences and Education that aims to address the nationwide shortage of secondary math and science teachers. Beginning this fall, students will be able to get bachelor's degrees in math, science or computer science, along with their teaching certification. TNT was launched last spring with a $1.4 million grant that also came from the Greater Texas Foundation. Officials hope to graduate at least 60 students each year. As part of the program, students as young as freshmen will complete field experiences in area classrooms. "It's very innovative," Quintanilla says. "It will give students the opportunity right away to know whether teaching is for them." Co-director Mary Harris, a professor in teacher education and administration, says the grant from the Greater Texas Foundation will provide a strong start by allowing the university to reward the most deserving students. Scholarships will be open to students who have finished 25 percent of their major requirements, are active in the TNT program and have demonstrated success in field experiences. "We look forward to rewarding those students who are ready to make a commitment to teaching," Harris says. The National Math and Science Initiative is a nonprofit organization created to help the United States maintain its global leadership in technological innovation through the support of math and science education. Headquartered in Bryan, the Greater Texas Foundation serves the citizens and educational institutions of Texas through supportive initiatives that increase access to higher education, support teachers and encourage parental and community involvement in education. In addition to the Greater Texas Foundation Math and Science Scholarship Program, UNT also awards Robert Noyce Scholarships in the amount of $7,750 per academic year for talented science and mathematics majors and professionals interested in teaching at the secondary level. Funding for the Robert Noyce Scholarship Program comes from the National Science Foundation. UNT News Service Press Release |
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