Hoosier STEM Academy awarded $722,000 grant

Deanna Watson, Muncie Star Press
·1 min read

MUNCIE, Ind. – The Hoosier STEM Academy, a partnership between Ball State University, Indiana University-Purdue University and Purdue University, has been awarded a 2023 STEM Teacher Recruitment Grant for more than $722,000 from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education.

The Hoosier STEM Academy addresses Indiana's teacher shortage in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

The Indiana Commission for Higher Education awarded over $10.5 million to 19 organizations and colleges to assist underserved schools in recruiting, preparing, and retaining high-quality STEM educators in those fields

“This grant from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education will continue our six-year partnership with Purdue and IUPUI,” said Dr. David McIntosh, interim dean of Ball State’s Teachers College, in a press release.

“The funding will continue Ball State University’s work toward preparing new STEM teachers for Indiana’s underserved schools and assist K-12 teachers when teaching STEM content in their classrooms.”

The Hoosier STEM Academy offers two programs:

  • the Fellows program for STEM professionals transitioning into teaching

  • the Teachers program for licensed teachers who want to take graduate-level STEM courses to teach dual-credit courses in Indiana high schools

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue working with Indiana pre-service and in-service STEM teachers,” said Ball State’s Kizmin Jones, director of the Hoosier STEM Academy, in the announcement.

“Our efforts to help combat Indiana’s teacher shortage as well as help in-service teachers become dual-credit certified can continue with the generous funding from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. We appreciate that ICHE has recognized our efforts.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Hoosier STEM Academy recruitment grant aimed at teachers in those fields