The NIU Noyce Scholars are selected based on (1) their teaching statement for the Secondary Science Educator Licensure Program, (2) Noyce essay, and (3) prior experience working with students from high-need schools or communities. The Selection Committee will consist of NIU faculty and three mentor teachers (program graduates who currently teach in high-need schools).
Your Noyce essay should be different from your personal statement for the Secondary Science Educator Licensure Program.
Topics appropriate for your Noyce essay include:
- Your motivation to teach science to students in a high-need school.
- Your commitment to working in a high-need school.
- Your experience with under-resourced communities or populations (i.e. tutoring, volunteer organizations, organizing a STEM club, attending a high-need school, etc.) and the impact it had on you and your decision to become a teacher.
To prepare a winning Noyce Application:
- Write a Noyce essay between 600-900 words that address the topics listed above.
- Include specific examples. Instead of something general (e.g., “I enjoyed working kids as a camp counselor.”), be specific (e.g., “In my role mentoring as a counselor at a summer camp, I worked with a team of give 12-year old girls to identify wildflowers. That experience showed me that I enjoy helping students think through how to answer their own questions about the natural world.”)
- Ask a trusted mentor or visit the writing center to review your essay and provide suggestions for how to improve its organization and grammar.
- Evaluate your essay using a proofreading software (e.g., Grammarly)
