BGSU extends application period for $20K individual scholarships to help those with STEM backgrounds become teachers

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4. BGSU extends application period for $20K individual scholarships to help those with STEM backgrounds become teachers

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Bowling Green State University is extending the application period for its scholarship program aimed at empowering individuals with science, technology, engineering and mathematics - or STEM - backgrounds to earn their teaching licensure in a flexible, online format within one year.

Extended through July 31, the new application deadline for the Noyce Teacher Scholarship program at BGSU comes as Ohio continues to experience a significant teacher shortage. Ohio Department of Education and Workforce data reported to the federal government shows Ohio has one of the largest K-12 student populations in the nation with only slightly more than 100,000 public school teachers working in the state, making the need for qualified educators critical. A recent report by the National Center for Education Statistics shows trends nationally are not much better, with 82% of public schools struggling to fill multiple teaching vacancies.

Supported by a National Science Foundation grant, the BGSU program will provide 10 students with a $20,000 stipend each to fund virtually all costs of obtaining a license to teach math or science in grades 7-12, with classes starting in August. The program also aims to get more middle and high schoolers interested in and prepared for STEM majors and careers, particularly in low-income areas where students are half as likely to earn a STEM degree within six years compared to their peers from more affluent schools, according to the National Student Clearinghouse.

"By extending the application period for our Noyce Teacher Scholarship program, we are aiming to get as many people with STEM backgrounds qualified and prepared to meet the educational needs of students across Ohio," said Dr. Angela Thomas, associate professor of education and the grant's principal investigator. "For more than 100 years, BGSU has been a leader in producing quality teachers, and this program will allow us to place educators in classrooms where they're needed most to teach and inspire students in STEM."

To be considered for the program, interested individuals should either have professional working experience in a STEM field or currently be a college junior or senior preparing to graduate in a STEM-related discipline that is not education-based. Selected individuals will be required to attend a limited number of in-person school visits during the program and then teach STEM for a minimum of two years and hold a bachelor's degree upon program completion.

Established in 1910 as a teacher training institution, BGSU is the largest producer of teacher education graduates at a single site in Ohio. Through the College of Education and Human Development, students can choose a specialization in one of 28 teacher preparation programs that lead to state licensure.

The University also offers quality and flexible graduate programs in education through BGSU Online, which are taught by the same world-class faculty as in-person classes. BGSU Online master's degrees in education recently scored in the top quartile nationally in U.S. News and World Report's 2025 Best Online Programs rankings.

BGSU launched its Noyce Teacher Scholarship program in 2024, selecting eight individuals for the inaugural cohort.

For more information and to apply, visit BGSU.edu/teachstem.