Seventh cohort includes 22 Indiana Uplands educators working to advance science, technology, engineering, and math in K-6 schools.
ROI is pleased to announce its seventh STEM Fellowship cohort. The 22 K-6 educators chosen will begin their fellowship year in August 2024, bringing the total number to 131 Fellows working to grow high-quality science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning.
“In the Indiana Uplands, there are abundant career opportunities in STEM fields, and our regional employers need a workforce ready to excel in technology-enabled environments, in engineering-related fields, and in the sciences,” said ROI Vice President of Talent Development Michi McClaine. “Early experiences in STEM learning are crucial to keeping students engaged in these fields through middle school and beyond.”
“The ROI STEM Fellowship equips educators with classroom resources and awareness of regionally relevant STEM career pathways,” added McClaine. “Not only does this program benefit educators and their students, but it also benefits school districts, our communities, and the region’s prosperity. Through their leadership, we have seen STEM Fellowship educators grow innovation and opportunities for all students across the Indiana Uplands.”
ROI STEM Fellowship – Cohort 7
| First Name | Last Name | Organization | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Susan | Anderson | Linton-Stockton School Corporation | Greene |
| Sarah | Bardwell | Southwest Dubois County School Corporation | Dubois |
| Alyssa | Bohnenkamp | Mitchell Community Schools | Lawrence |
| Randi | Browning | Washington Community Schools | Daviess |
| Kaitlyn | Craney | Diocese of Evansville | Daviess |
| Andrea | Goeppner | Southwest Dubois County School Corporation | Dubois |
| Marc | Hendrickson | White River Valley School District | Greene |
| Jacqueline | Klueh | Diocese of Evansville | Daviess |
| Stephanie | Landin | Southwest Dubois County School Corporation | Dubois |
| Keisha | Levi | Orleans Community Schools | Orange |
| Addyson | Lotz | Mitchell Community Schools | Lawrence |
| Abby | Magner | Brown County Schools | Brown |
| Andrea | Mathies | Southwest Dubois County School Corporation | Dubois |
| Brooke | Mohr | Crawford County Community Schools | Crawford |
| Kimberly | Novak | Crawford County Community Schools | Crawford |
| Jamie | Roub | North Lawrence Community Schools | Lawrence |
| Angela | Schnieders | Crawford County Community Schools | Crawford |
| Adalina | Simpson | Crawford County Community Schools | Crawford |
| Katlyn | Valdes | Southwest Dubois County School Corporation | Dubois |
| Paige | Wagner | Monroe County Community School Corporation | Monroe |
| Jamie | Willis | North Lawrence Community Schools | Lawrence |
| Jana | Wiseman | Crawford County Community Schools | Crawford |
STEM Fellowship participants are Indiana Uplands educators nominated by their school principals and selected by ROI. Selected educators participate in monthly professional development on STEM integration and teaching practices, are connected to regional partners through key sector industry tours and career information sessions, and become part of a regional STEM Fellowship network. Fellows receive a $2,000 stipend at the conclusion of the fellowship year, along with relevant supporting STEM resources and materials.
The STEM Fellowship is designed to enhance educators’ confidence as educational leaders and STEM experts. In addition to honing their skills, Fellows provide STEM support to colleagues and contribute to the Uplands regional STEM teacher network. Working with ROI’s education team, educators participate in ongoing professional development in STEM-relevant topics, including computer science integration, engineering design process, microelectronics, digital fabrication, robotics, and AI. Each professional development event provides new instructional ideas, a better understanding of how to integrate STEM throughout the instructional day, and relevant career connections with industry sector partners.
The STEM Fellowship program was developed in response to the findings of ROI’s periodic Occupational Needs Assessments, which emphasizes the importance of having STEM-literate students to meet current and future workforce needs and provide a basis for continued economic growth and prosperity in our region. Throughout their fellowship, educators are encouraged to think deeper about STEM teaching and find ways to make meaningful connections between academic content and future opportunities for students. Fellows also explore STEM content and topics related to the Uplands’ key industry sectors: national security and defense, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing. Each fellowship session includes participation from industry and community partners and guidance on how to effectively integrate career exposure in ways that are age-appropriate for their students.
The 22 members of the seventh STEM Fellowship cohort bring the total number of Fellows to 131. These new educators join a vibrant community of practice that extends across 27 school districts in all 11 counties of the Indiana Uplands region.
“I feel like I implement what I learned from STEM Fellowship all the time,” shared Naomi Trojan, a North Lawrence Community Schools teacher and former STEM Fellow. “It has simply become part of my teaching.”
“To see these Fellows grow as professionals over time has been truly amazing,” added McClaine. “We have STEM Fellows who are adding credentials to their licenses and completing master’s degrees, some of whom are now in leadership roles guiding solid instructional practices for their entire district. The fellowship we envisioned to train teachers has grown into a network where dedicated educators are effecting change both in their own school districts and by collaborating across the region. ROI’s STEM Fellows have become remarkable ambassadors for best practices.”
Read more about ROI’s STEM Fellows Program:
https://regionalopportunityinc.org/stem-fellows/
Feature Video showcasing STEM Fellows & student experiences: https://youtu.be/xPhOQ41sOQA
About Regional Opportunity Initiatives
Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to advance economic and community prosperity in the 11 counties of the Indiana Uplands (Brown, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Orange, Owen, and Washington counties). ROI is growing potential and possibility through a focus on advanced industry sectors, regionalism, transformative school and workforce redesign, and placemaking strategies. To learn more about ROI’s programs, visit https://regionalopportunityinc.org/.