A love for nature and science. An innate talent for teaching math. Family connections to agriculture and a passion for outdoor education.
̽̽ graduate students with a range of interests and backgrounds are pursuing a shared dream. With support from the National Science Foundation's , they are working toward a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree that includes a full-time internship before earning their licensure to teach in secondary education schools.
The scholarship provides generous financial assistance for qualified applicants with a STEM degree. In-state and out-of-state students are eligible for scholarship amounts of $20,000 and $32,000 per academic year, respectively. Since 2009, 63 ̽̽ students have received the scholarship.
Laurel Marshia
Laurel grew up as a fifth generation Vermonter with a family background in dairy farming.
“I’ve always had a passion for the outdoors and strong agricultural ties,” she says. “That led me to earning my degree in biological science from ̽̽. I loved everything at ̽̽, but I wasn’t certain what my career path would be.”
During her winter breaks in college, Laurel began substitute teaching at elementary and middle schools in Chelsea and Tunbridge. Those experiences inspired a love of being in the classroom with students, and she began to envision herself becoming an educator.
“That was reaffirmed when I was a part of ̽̽’s Agroecology Extension Fellowship for two summers,” she says. “Spending time doing meaningful research and farm work in Vermont alongside educators and farmers drew connections between everything I loved about biology, agriculture and education.”
Through the MAT program, Laurel is teaching a variety of biology and science courses as an intern at Montpelier High School.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work hands-on with students in the classroom as well as the lab, at the greenhouse on campus, and in the National Life Forest,” she says. “The MAT program and being a part of the Noyce community bridges my love of science, outdoor education and agricultural education while learning alongside students in my cohort.”
Aidan McAuliffe
On his way to earning a degree in mathematics at Union College, Aidan offered to work at the school’s Calculus Help Center during his sophomore year. He enjoyed helping students with their assignments and number of students praised his approach.
“Their positive feedback helped me realize my talent for teaching math,” he recalls. “So I decided that I wanted to do it for a living.”
In his internship at U-32 High School in East Montpelier, Aidan is mentored by an AP Statistics teacher and an Algebra II teacher. “My mentor teachers help me figure out the best ways to structure lessons and lead classroom instruction effectively,” he says. “I look forward to becoming a full-time teacher and having an even greater impact on the lives of students.”
Michelle O'Donnell
Growing up as a young child in Brooklyn, New York, Michelle loved exploring nature.
“I was always hunting for bugs, slugs, and worms where I could find them and doing all sorts of experiments with them,” she recalls. Her interest in science led to earning a degree in biology, but she was indecisive about what specific career pathway to follow.
After five years of working in nonprofits doing administrative work post-college, Michelle decided to pursue a teaching career. “I realized that my passion for science was about exploring new things and sparking interest in others, so teaching was the perfect fit,” she says.
For her internship, Michelle is student teaching in tenth grade biology classes at U-32.
“As a future science teacher, I hope to ignite students’ interest in science, especially those who don’t feel confident in the subject,” says Michelle. “I want to equip learners with the tools needed to understand and use the science they will encounter in their day to day lives.”
About the Noyce Scholarship Program at ̽̽
The is funded by NSF to address the shortage of highly qualified STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and computer science educators in high need schools throughout the United States.
“We have received continuous grant funding from the NSF for the Noyce Scholars Program from 2009 through 2025,” said Principal Investigator Regina Toolin. “During that time, we have applied for and received three grants for a total of $2.9 million.”
Joining Toolin to lead the Noyce program at ̽̽ are Co-Principal Investigators Rory Waterman, Carmen Smith, and Lisa Dion. Together, they coordinate a partnership between nationally recognized programs in the College of Education and Social Services, the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences in collaboration with regional school districts in Vermont.
