5/21/24

By FHSU University Communications

HAYS, Kan. - FHSU will address the challenge of staffing high-need rural schools with effective STEM teachers through a $1.45 million grant from the National Science Foundation Robert Noyce program.

According to the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), science educators in Kansas ranked fifth in the top five categories of teacher shortages in the fall of 2023. FHSU’s Robert Noyce Scholarship-Certified Rural Enhanced STEM Teachers (CREST) seeks to recruit and provide cost-of-attendance scholarships for 29 STEM students. The scholarships of $15,000 per year for up to two years will yield 29 STEM teachers for underserved rural districts.

The project is designed to develop close collaboration with Barton Community College, Colby Community College, Dodge City Community College, Garden City Community College, and Seward County Community College to recruit students to FHSU for a STEM/Secondary Education major. As part of the project, the community colleges will have resources to support their students financially while they prepare to transfer to FHSU. Those transferring to FHSU will be eligible for approximately $30,000 in scholarship funds to complete their degrees. Transfer students and those who start their degrees at FHSU are also eligible for the scholarships.

 A unique aspect of the project is developing a certificate program that prepares STEM teachers to serve in rural schools. This focus is based on what FHSU does well: stewardship of place by providing for the education and career needs of rural Kansas.