College of Education and Social Services

Department of Education

National Science Foundation Robert Noyce Scholarship for Teaching

"As a Noyce Scholar, I get to be a part of a supportive community of STEM educators who are just as passionate about exploring, understanding, and sharing the world with others as I am. Vermont's progressive educational philosophies, strong local community bonds, and accessibility to the outdoors made it an ideal place to get my education and lay down roots of my own." - Josh Solomon G'22

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Robert Noyce Scholarship Program strives to address the shortage of qualified K-12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) and computer science educators teaching in underserved and underrepresented schools in the U.S. The scholarship opportunity is available to graduate students accepted into UVM's Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Secondary Education Program who are interested in teaching grades 7-12.

In-state students from Vermont are eligible for a scholarship in the amount of $20,000.00 per academic year, while out-of-state students are eligible for $32,000.00 per academic year.

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for a Noyce Scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Hold an undergraduate and/or graduate degree in a STEM field, including biology, chemistry, earth/geosciences, engineering, physics, mathematics and computer science.
Achieved a minimum 3.0 GPA in your undergraduate and/or graduate STEM degree(s).
Must be a U.S. citizen or national, or permanent resident alien.
Demonstrate a commitment to teach in a high need local educational agency for 2 years for every year of scholarship received within 4 years after graduation from the MAT program.

Noyce Scholars agree to achieve teacher certification in grades 7-12 science, math, or computer science education and gain a full-time teaching position within four (4) years of receipt of the MAT degree and certification in a high need educational agency (school district).

The term high need local educational agency as defined in section 201 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1021) means a local educational agency (for example, a school district) that serves an elementary or secondary school located in an area which is characterized by at least one of the following designations: a high percentage of individuals from families with incomes below the poverty line usually determined by the annual Agency of Education Free or Reduced Meals Report; a high percentage of secondary school teachers not teaching in the content area in which they were trained to teach; or a high teacher turnover rate.

How to Apply

Your resume, transcripts, and reference letters must be submitted as part of your MAT application for the Noyce Scholarship application. In addition, you will also need to submit the materials specified in the application form:

Robert Noyce Scholarship Application

Current & Previous Noyce Scholars

Meet Our 2022-2023 Cohort
“Young people are curious and eager," says Clarissa Gold G'23. "It is invigorating to be around them. Students have all of these burning questions about the nature of science. They are constantly asking ‘why does this happen?’ These are the conversations I want to spend my life participating in throughout my career.”
Our 2022-2023 Noyce Scholars cohort including Gold, Scott Benerofe, Cora Delucia, Eleni Karabesini, Jesse Karse, and Caroline Wood, share why they are inspired to pursue teaching careers in STEM education.
Story: From STEM Scholars to STEM Educators

Noyce Scholar Alumni
Sara Davis
Originally from Massachusetts, I spent my time after high school studying math part time, working in Boston as a project accountant, living in California, and eventually living in Vermont. While in California, I volunteered for School on Wheels, a program that helps tutor students experiencing homelessness and bridge the educational gaps they experience. While tutoring students in reading, English, and math, I found my love for teaching.
Eventually I found my way to Burlington, Vermont in search for more adventure and nature. I graduated from UVM in May 2021 with a B.S. in Mathematics. Now as an MAT student interning at Mt. Abraham Union Middle/High School in Bristol, Vermont, I teach in a 7th and 8th grade math class and truly enjoying the experience. As a Noyce Scholar, I have the opportunity to make a difference in math education.
In my free time I enjoy hiking and cross-country skiing with my partner.
Jonna Keith
I graduated with a B.A. in Biology and Environmental Studies from Middlebury College in 2021. Up until this past spring, I was planning to pursue a law degree. But, after some personal reflection, and inspired by my many years as a camp counselor and undergraduate job as a chemistry teaching assistant, I decided that teaching was the right path for me. My love of my high school AP Biology course led me to UVM’s MAT program and the Noyce Scholarship. I’m also passionate about wetlands and outdoor education.
Currently, I’m a teaching intern at Missisquoi Valley Union High School in 9th grade science. Connecting with students has been my favorite part of teaching so far. I’m excited to be a part of that community as our class dives into topics like chemistry.
In my free time, I love cooking and baking. However, if I’m not in the kitchen, you can usually find me outside pursuing one of my other passions: Nordic skiing and hiking.
Jonah Francke
Although I was born in Massachusetts, I have lived in Vermont since the age of 3. I had always entertained the idea of becoming an educator, but I decided to commit to becoming one in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 2019 with a B.S. in Biology. Before starting school, I fully expected to pursue a career in a research lab. However, I realized during my time at school that this was no longer the career I wanted to pursue. I did some serious soul-searching while working from home for a doctor’s office, and decided that I wanted to become a teacher. Both my parents are educators. Having observed their impact and the joy they brought to kid’s lives, I wanted to do the same.
The opportunity to study to become a teacher in my home state and the hands-on nature of the MAT program were the two main reasons I decided to apply here. I have found great joy in the connections I am already building with students at Mount Abraham Union Middle/High School where I am a student teacher in an 8th grade science classroom. The ability to jump right in to the classroom was another feature that drew me to the MAT program.
In my free time, I can be found spending time with my partner and our two cats. I also enjoy playing video games, reading a good book, enjoying the outdoors, or watching my beloved Chelsea Football Club. KTBFFH!
Josh Solomon
Originally from suburban Maryland, I spent the last eleven years since graduating high school learning, working, and traveling across the globe hoping to find a place to call home and a profession to commit to long term.
I received a B.A. in Geology from Colgate University in 2014. Since then, I worked as a geoscientist for a major corporation in Texas, a guide and naturalist for a coastal Alaskan based mountaineering and sea kayaking company, and the assistant director of Colgate University's Outdoor Education program. Now I’m pursuing my MAT at UVM as a way bridge my love of science and experiential education to bring meaningful and engaging learning experiences to public school science classrooms.
Vermont's progressive educational philosophies, strong local community bonds, and accessibility to the outdoors made it an ideal place to get my education and lay down roots of my own. My student teaching position at the small rural Mt. Abraham Union Middle/High School in Bristol, Vermont as a 9th grade earth science teacher reinforces my beliefs that this program and this state were the right fit for me.
As a Noyce Scholar, I get to be a part of a supportive community of STEM educators who are just as passionate about exploring, understanding, and sharing the world with others as I am.
Amy Trivelpiece
In 2019, I graduated with a Bachelor of the Arts in Biology from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Until the spring of my senior year, I fully expected to pursue a higher degree in research biology. During my college summers, I worked as both a camp counselor and an outdoor educator in my small hometown of Bolinas, California. I really enjoyed passing on what I was learning in my biology classes to my campers, and finally realized that the part of biology that I loved the most was the discoveries I could guide others to make for themselves.
After graduation, I spent my gap-year volunteering in four science classes at Port Angeles High School in Port Angeles, Washington. It was there that I solidified my ambition to become a teacher.
Currently, I am a seventh grade science teacher interning at Mt. Abraham Union High School in Bristol, Vermont. As a Noyce Scholar, I can impact the future of science education, and I will utilize what I learn from UVM’s MAT program to better my own teaching. But I feel that the most important role as a Noyce Scholar is to pass on my experience to better the teaching of those who follow me.
In my spare time, I love to read either high fantasy novels or medical history nonfiction, and I also have a passion for the outdoors, video games, cooking, and birdwatching.
Nick Patel
After graduating with a B.A. in Biology from Swarthmore College in 2018, I worked in a variety of seasonal jobs. But the job I spent the most time at and that had the most impact on me was being a teaching assistant and research facilitator for undergraduate students in an immersive environmental science program at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. The incredibly meaningful and positive experience I had in this role inspired me to pursue UVM’s MAT program and become a science teacher.
In my free time, I pursue many personal interests. Most involve getting outside and being active, but I also love reading, gardening, and playing games with friends.