Noyce: The Noyce Scholars and Interns Program at the University of Portland

The Noyce Scholars and Interns Program at the University of Portland is a comprehensive partnership between the University’s College of Arts and Sciences, the Shiley School of Engineering, the School of Education, the Moreau Center for Service and Leadership at UP, Saturday Academy, and Portland Public Schools. The main goal of the program is to increase the number of highly-trained K-12 STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) teachers graduating from the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program at the University who teach in high-needs schools. The Noyce Program provides scholarships and paid internships for students and professionals in STEM fields who want to become teachers.

There are three strands of the Noyce Program. Two strands are for undergraduate STEM majors (biology, biochemistry, chemistry, environmental science, mathematics, physics, civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science). The third strand is for career-changing STEM professionals who are interested in completing the MAT degree and becoming a K-12 teacher.

Noyce Program for Undergraduates

Noyce Interns will be UP undergraduates (freshmen and sophomores, primarily) who will work for eight weeks in the summer as teaching assistants in Saturday Academy classes for local students in grades 2-12 and in the AVID program, helping to prepare students from nearby Roosevelt High School for academic success in grades 9-12 and in college. The interns must be majoring in a STEM discipline. Each intern will earn a $3,600 stipend and will get on-campus housing as part of the paid internship. Approximate dates for the internships will be June 1-July 31.

Noyce Scholars will be UP rising juniors and seniors with STEM majors (listed above). Scholars will be given a $10,000 scholarship in each of their junior and senior years, and a $20,000 scholarship to help pay for the MAT program. Each Noyce Scholar will be obligated to serve two years as a teacher in a high-needs school for every year of scholarship. Scholars who do not complete the service requirement will have to repay a pro-rated amount based on the number of years served.

Learn more about the undergraduate Noyce programs, or start your application.

Noyce Program for MAT Students

MAT Noyce Scholars will be career-changing STEM professionals enrolled in the UP MAT program. MAT Noyce Scholars must have an undergraduate degree in a STEM field. Each scholar will be supported with a $20,000 scholarship. Each MAT Noyce Scholar will be obligated to serve for two years in a high-needs school as a requisite for receiving the scholarship. Scholars who do not complete the service requirement will have to repay a pro-rated amount based on the number of years served.

Learn more about the MAT Noyce Scholars programs,  or start your application.

Eligibility

Applications for the Noyce Interns Program, the Noyce Scholars Program, and the Noyce Scholars Program for MAT students are due February 22. Only STEM majors will be considered for the Undergraduate Noyce Program. Students who are double majors in education and a STEM field are also eligible. MAT Scholars must have an undergraduate degree in a STEM field. Applicants must be US citizens, nationals, or permanent residents. At UP, STEM includes physics, chemistry, math, engineering (mechanical, electrical, and civil), computer science, biology, and environmental science. Twenty-five percent of the students selected will be math, computer science, and engineering majors. 

Noyce Scholar (both Undergraduate and MAT) selection criteria will include financial need as demonstrated by the FAFSA, minimum 3.0 GPA, character traits of successful teachers (verbal skills, human interaction, and leadership), and strong evidence of the candidate’s ability to teach youth in a high needs and culturally diverse setting. Qualitative factors will be assessed using a personal interview, a personal essay describing why the applicant has selected this career path, and three letters of recommendation from current professors and/or employers. For Scholar applicants, particular weight will be placed on recommendation letters from a cooperating classroom teacher, summer camp employer such as SA or AVID, the discipline-specific service-learning instructor, and/or supervisory teachers for volunteer placements. 

Noyce Intern selection criteria are similar to that for the Noyce Scholars except that only one recommendation will be required.