$500,000 grant to go toward math majors

High-need schools in Indiana will soon see the benefits of a grant IU received early this month. The University has accepted about a half million dollar grant, which will be awarded in the form of scholarships to future math teachers. \nThe National Science Foundation Robert Noyce Scholarship Program will award funds to about 30 students over the next three years, starting in fall 2007. The program will pay for the majority of students' tuition their junior and senior years, said mathematics Department Chair Jim Davis. The students taking part in the program are making a commitment to teach at a high-need school in Indiana, which Davis defined as a low income school or a school where teachers have a high turnover of math teachers. \nThis is the first year IU has applied and received the grant money.\n"There's a real need throughout the country for more high quality math and science teachers," said Diana Lambdin, associate dean for teacher education and principal investigator for the grant. "Math is really important in today's society. We think we can attract some of very best mathematics students into this program." \nDavis said the students must be math majors to be considered for the program.\n"Essentially it's money for scholarships for students majoring in mathematics who commit to teaching," Davis said. \nStudents receiving the grant go through the program while attending IU, Davis said. They would major in mathematics but take teacher education classes through the program, he said. \nTwo programs are available, one for undergraduates and one for graduates. \nThe graduate program is for those students who have already had math training but need teacher training, Lambdin said. The undergraduate program is for math majors also interested in teaching who need financial help. \nDavis said he hoped the grant scholarship would increase the number of math majors and thus also add to the amount of math teachers. \n"It's possible that maybe some future secondary education students will decide to major in math so that they'll be eligible for the scholarship," he said. \nInterested students should contact Lambdin or professor Kent Orr, director of undergraduate studies. Davis suggested students should apply as early as sophomore year in order to receive it for their junior and senior years. Lambdin said she expects the program to be competitive and that the recipients would be "really high quality students." They will be looking at grades, extracurricular activities and financial need, she said. \n"We're hoping to attract those high-quality math people who may be interested in sharing their love of math with other people," Lambdin said.