$1.5M grant to fund STEM teacher pipeline

The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently awarded $1.5 million to Longwood and two community colleges to fund a project designed to address the national need for preparing and retaining highly qualified science and mathematics teachers in rural, high-need school districts. Longwood partnered with Patrick & Henry Community College in Martinsville and Virginia Western Community College in Roanoke in seeking the grant. The grant will be used to provide scholarships and academic support to 20 undergraduate students, 14 of whom will be transfers from the Virginia Community College System who will major in biology, chemistry, mathematics or physics and pursue a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) teaching career.

“With this grant and Longwood’s partnership with two community colleges, our faculty and staff have been truly innovative in seeking to address a critical need, while also building on our historic strength in teacher education,” said Dr. Larissa Smith, Longwood provost and vice president for academic affairs. “This funding will help address teacher shortages in rural Southside and southwest Virginia by recruiting students in these areas and preparing them to become successful STEM teachers.”