21st Century STEM Teachers Scholarship Program

The scholarship is up to $5,000 per semester ($10,000 per year). The scholarship may be renewed for subsequent semesters for a total of four years. Renewal is based on: (1) continuation of grant funding for the scholarship and (2) the recipient continuing to meet the eligibility requirements.

The scholarship is structured as a forgivable loan. For each year that you fulfill your teaching requirement in an Indiana high-need or rural school or district, one year of scholarship will be forgiven (i.e., the loan balance is reduced by an amount equivalent to one year of scholarship).

High school seniors through college-level juniors may apply. The scholarship is for students in an undergraduate degree program in secondary mathematics education, secondary science education, secondary engineering and technology education, elementary education, or dual licensure in elementary education and special education. Applicants must be admitted to or currently enrolled in a Purdue University degree program with the intention of completing a Baccalaureate degree in one of the majors listed above AND the K-12 Integrated STEM Education degree concentration. Students must have a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or greater when they apply. In addition, applicants must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Applications will be reviewed by a panel that includes at least one faculty member from the disciplinary field of the candidate’s interest. Recipients will be selected based on academic record, statement of educational and career goals, and letters of recommendation.

Applications for the Spring 2025 semester are due by February 28, 2025. Applications for the Fall 2025 semester will be reviewed starting on March 15, 2025, and continue until all scholarships have been awarded. Students who apply for Spring 2025 are automatically considered for Fall 2025.

We have approximately 6 scholarships currently available.

Scholarship recipients must teach in an Indiana high-needs or rural school or district to meet the scholarship requirements. Purdue faculty will assist you with determining whether or not the schools you are considering are high-need or rural. In general, a high-need school is located in an area where at least 40 percent of students in a school or in the school district are economically disadvantaged. A rural school is located in an area that is at least 5 miles from an urbanized area (city).

There are many benefits to being a 21^st Century STEM Teacher Scholar. Some of the benefits and opportunities include:

• You will earn a K-12 Integrated STEM Education degree concentration. The program consists of four courses (total of 7 or 8 credit hours) that prepare you for STEM teaching above and beyond the regular degree program. Teachers who earn this concentration demonstrate well-developed knowledge, skills, and practices in at least one content STEM area and learn to integrate cross‐cutting content, processes, and practices. In addition, many schools in Indiana are becoming a STEM Certified School and will be seeking to hire new teachers to be leaders in STEM instruction. See the following page with information about the required courses and when they are offered.
• Purdue has an extensive network of schools and school corporations, including STEM-oriented partnerships. This network enhances our ability to help 21^st Century STEM Teacher Scholars be placed in classrooms in high-need school corporations as well as school corporations experiencing a shortage of qualified teachers in STEM disciplines.
• 21^st Century STEM Teacher Scholars will work with STEM education faculty as part of a mentoring program. Mentoring meetings will provide a forum for the scholars to seek advice, share experiences, and reflect on learning. In addition, the mentoring meetings will provide a venue for discussing topics for preservice/beginning teachers like edTPA requirements, conducting a successful job search, and meeting the needs of all students.
• 21^st Century STEM Teacher Scholars will have opportunities to engage in service learning experiences as well as STEM education research. For example, all scholars will take at least one semester of Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) where teams design, build, and deploy real systems to solve engineering-based problems for local community organizations. In addition, 21^st Century STEM Teacher Scholars will have opportunities to participate in the College of Education Undergraduate Research Training Program which provides opportunities for students to work with faculty on cutting edge research projects.

EDCI 53900: Introduction to K-12 Integrated STEM Education

• 3 Credit Hours
• Spring Semester

EPCS 10100, EPCS 20100, EPCS 30100, or EPCS 40100: Participation in EPICS

• 1 Credit Hour
• Fall Semester, Spring Semester

EDCI 55800: Integrated STEM Education Methods – Secondary

• 3 Credit Hours
• Fall Semester

OR

EDCI 49000: Engineering by Design – Elementary

• 2 Credit Hours
• Fall Semester

EDCI 49000: Integrated STEM Teaching Internship

• 1 Credit Hour
• Fall Semester, Spring Semester

Note: Secondary Engineering-Technology Teacher Education majors can take TLI 26200 in place of EDCI 53900