Project SERVE is a rigorous teacher preparation program that will produce certified STEM teachers with the skills to teach effectively in high-need (urban and rural) schools and persist within their profession. A high-need school means a local educational agency (for example, a school district) that serves secondary school located in an area which is characterized by at least one of the following:
(a) a high percentage of individuals from families with incomes below the poverty line;
(b) a high percentage of secondary school teachers not teaching in the content area in which they were trained to teach; or
(c) a high teacher turnover rate. Noyce Scholars receive scholarships and stipends funded by NSF. All Noyce Scholars must commit to completing two years of service in a high-need school as a mathematics or science teacher for each year of scholarship or stipend.
Project SERVE Sample Course List
General Requirements
- Earn passing scores in the PRAXIS Core Academic Skills for Educators in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics before receiving a scholarship/stipend.
- Fully participate in and successfully complete Project SERVE activities
- Provide evidence of zero misdemeanors or felony infractions, as required by the Nebraska Department of Education
Undergraduate Requirements
- Stay successfully enrolled in teacher education and STEM courses, by meeting the benchmarks of entrance into teacher education and student teaching.
- Complete a STEM degree and complete teacher certification in four years, and one summer following graduation. Transfer students who will not graduate in 4 years must consult with a Project Director or Coordinator before applying to the Noyce program.
- Graduate with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.
FastTrack Graduate Student Requirements
- Complete the teacher certification program in fourteen months.
- Enroll full-time during the stipend year.
- Graduate with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Post-Graduation Requirements
- Commit to completing two years of service in a high-need school as a mathematics or science teacher for each year of scholarship or stipend.
- If you fail to complete this teaching obligation, you will need to repay the required portion of the scholarship or stipend provided by the program.
- Fully participate in, and successfully complete post-graduation Project SERVE activities
- Provide evidence of zero misdemeanors or felony infractions, as required by the Nebraska Department of Education
Please note:
- If students don't meet all of the application requirements upon initial application (i.e. GPA requirement), they are welcome to apply. However, students may have to meet extra requirements as part of the Noyce program if they don't meet initial requirements.
- A student’s participation in the program is not an assurance of employment, and collaborating districts are not obligated to interview or hire students for a position.
- Participation in the program is not an assurance of continued employment, and collaborating districts are not obligated to maintain continuous employment in a high need setting.