Ryan: $1M grant for Kent State will help invest in STEM

Staff report

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U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, announced the award of a $1 million grant to assist Kent State University in attracting students into teaching high school science and math education.

The grant, awarded by the National Science Foundation, will help fund Kent State’s Robert Noyce Scholars Program. This is another federal investment in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) programming meant to aid America’s long-term job creation efforts.

“To create the jobs of tomorrow, we must make a strong commitment to science and math education for our children,” Ryan said. “Investing in STEM education now ensures that a whole new generation of Americans will be prepared to lead the world in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Ultimately, these investments are all about helping America remain a leader in innovation and ensuring our children are positioned for success, and Kent State University is helping to lead the way.”

Kent State University’s Noyce Scholars Program trains students to become qualified teachers of high school mathematics and science through completion of the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) initial licensure program.

The program attracts freshmen and sophomores to education through the summer Upward Bound program. Juniors and seniors are offered internships in programs the conduct research on secondary school student learning in areas of science and math.

The Noyce Scholars Program also provides full scholarships for approximately 50 recently graduated STEM majors and returning STEM professionals to engage in an intensive graduate program qualifying them as teachers of secondary science and mathematics.

Beyond the training of teachers, the program impacts an area with a severe shortage of STEM educators and generates useful data on effective practices in STEM education.

Ryan has long supported STEM education, most recently introducing H.R. 2247, the Innovation Inspiration School Grant Program Act. Ryan’s legislation provides creates a grant program for schools to take part in to support nontraditional STEM programming, such as robotics competitions.