King’s Welcomes First Recruits in $1.45 Million Grant Program to Address STEM Teacher Shortage in Northeastern Pennsylvania

From left to right: Noyce Scholars Travis Lane, Veronica Drobish, and Brandy Varner

King’s College welcomed the first three scholars to receive free tuition, books, and other resources through a $1.45 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant designed to bring more K-12 math and science teachers to underserved communities in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

The program—named Preparing and Retaining Inclusive and Mentored Educators in STEM (PRIMES)—is supported by NSF’s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship, which funds innovative efforts that address the national shortage of elementary and secondary STEM teachers.

King’s College secondary education students Travis Lane, of Spring Brook Township, Pa., Veronica Drobish, of Luzerne, Pa., and Brandy Varner, of Plymouth, Pa., will receive funding for tuition, books, housing, and meals through the PRIMES program. Lane and Varner, both members of the College’s track and field team, are pursuing the education program’s general science and biology tracks, respectively. Drobish is pursuing the mathematics track.

After graduation, they will work in high-needs school districts while receiving ongoing training, support, and an annual stipend.

King’s College is partnering with Hazleton Area School District, Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences, Luzerne County Community College (LCCC), and Luzerne Intermediate Unit 18 (LIU-18) to recruit a minimum of 20 STEM educators over a five-year period.

The program is open to King’s College students, high school students interested in STEM teaching, LCCC graduates, and professionals employed by LIU-18 and its servicing districts. Prospective applicants are encouraged to visit www.kings.edu/noyce for more information.

The grant was secured by Dr. Elise Heiss, Dr. Karen McCready, Dr. Andrew Wojcik, and Dr. Dara Soljaga, associate dean of education, with the help of Michelle Giovagnoli, director of institutional and academic grants. This is the largest faculty-initiated grant in the College’s history.

“We’re excited to welcome our first three candidates to a wonderful program that will deliver highly qualified and motivated STEM teachers to where they are needed the most,” said Dr. Heiss, associate professor of chemistry. “Thanks to the continuous mentorship and financial support available through the Noyce Scholarship program, we can transform the lives of both future educators and the youth they will serve for years to come.”

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No. 2344886. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.