Current/Recent Students
Junior/Senior/Graduate
Scholarship Recipients
2011-2012
Bailey Myers
Humboldt, Kansas
Myers is currently working towards her undergraduate degree in biology, with an anticipated graduation in 2013.
"I have always greatly enjoyed my classes involving science, and I love helping others’ understand them. In high school, I was the person that everyone contacted to help them understand a concept. This role has definitely carried over into college. Seeing others’ minds work and hearing how they think intrigues me. I want to be able to refine this thinking and help students expand their knowledge of the world, while at the same time inspiring them to consider science as a career path."
Brock Baxter
Onaga, Kansas
Baxter graduated in 2007 from Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering.
"After working in construction management for 2.5 years, I knew that was not my cup of tea. I needed something more satisfying and less monotonous. With a high interest in physics and a family predominately consisting of educators, I knew teaching was the direction I wanted to take.
I wanted to take the necessary classes to become a teacher, and I wanted to complete them as quick as possible. Since I would have needed to quit my job, concentrate on classes, and have little to no income, I started searching for ways to keep from taking out loans for the second time. After searching the web and sending some e-mails, I caught word of the Noyce Scholarship. If awarded, it would have been the perfect scenario for my situation. It would take a lot of financial stress off my shoulders, and since I grew up in a high need area, I could relate to some students in such a school district."
Coral Boyd
Lindsborg, Kansas
Boyd is currently working on her undergraduate degree in chemistry.
"I had many teachers who, in addition to being available at school, were there outside of school for theirs students as well and it had a huge impact on their students’ lives, including mine. I want to give students what I had: the knowledge that someone actually cares about them and will be there for them; someone who is dedicated to helping students succeed in their everyday life; someone who shows enthusiasm for making science fun and interesting in order to help them learn; someone who is patient and wants to help students become the amazing people they can be."
Mattithyah Tillotson
Valley Center, Kansas
Working towards undergraduate degrees in Chemistry and Secondary Education with an anticipated graduation date of Fall 2013.
"I am currently double majoring in Chemistry and Secondary Education with a Chemistry emphasis. I plan to graduate in the Fall of 2013. I applied for the TEACH Summer Stipend Program before I added my second major because I was considering a degree in education. I wanted to see if science education was something I really was passionate about and could be capable of doing.
"Almost everyone I talk to about chemistry has very definite opinions about the subject. If they had a good high school teacher then they love chemistry, but if they had a bad teacher then they hate chemistry. Unfortunately, the majority of people I talked to reported having terrible high school chemistry teachers. To me it is a travesty that so many people developed such strong negative feelings about chemistry without ever having the chance to really experience the joy that chemistry can bring. I became determined to become a highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic high school chemistry teacher so that all of my students would at the very least give chemistry a shot before writing the whole subject off. I heard about the TEACH program through my academic advisor, and it sounded like a perfect program for what I wanted to do. It would enable me to get degrees in both chemistry and secondary education while also allowing me the opportunity to serve underprivileged school districts after I graduate. Underprivileged school districts are often the ones who need good science teachers the most and yet are unable to attract them because of lack of funding or various other reasons. I knew that the Noyce program would allow me to serve where I am needed most."
Stephanie Alderman-Oler
Olathe, Kansas
Alderman-Oler is working towards undergraduate degrees in Biology and Secondary Education, as well as a minor in Chemistry, with an anticipated graduation date in May 2012.
"I stumbled across the Noyce program my fourth year of my undergraduate program and it fit my personal philosophy of teaching– I want to work with at-risk kids and I want to share a passion and knowledge of science that they may or may not have seen in their schools. I have grown up in a family of teachers– many of whom work with at-risk families, and I can't see myself working in any other environment at this point in my life."
Freshman/Sophomore Summer Stipend Recipients
James Rittenberger
Omaha, Nebraska
Summer 2011
Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha, NE
Rittenberger is currently working towards his undergraduate degree in chemistry and will graduate May 2014.
“I heard about the TEACH program through Dr. Culbertson and was immediately interested. The teaching field intrigues me and I have always wanted to be one of those teachers who have a positive influence on students.
Dr. Culbertson recommended that I try to get an internship at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, where I am from. The zoo is sort of a living legend to me and it is one of my favorite places to visit. I am very excited to work at the zoo and with the students attending summer camps.”
Ashley Atwell
Summer 2010
Sunset Zoo, Manhattan, KS
"Greetings! I'm Ashley Atwell, studying both Biology and Secondary Education. I plan on graduating with my Bachelor's degree in Spring 2012, but will continue to get a Master's degree in Biology. My ultimate goal is to teach secondary level biology. I applied for the K-State TEACH Summer Stipend Program because I knew I liked the idea of teaching, but wasn't sure how it actually felt. I wanted to experience as much education from the teacher's point of view as possible before I committed my life to it."
"I felt like the TEACH Summer Program was perfect. I had the great opportunity to work at the Sunset Zoo in Manhattan during the summer with their summer youth programs. The age range was quite younger- I worked with kids ranging from about age 5 to 9. It was great getting to see the teacher's perspective as far as planning and behavior management. I solidified my feelings towards education, and now look for even more chances to teach. I am very happy I decided to do this program, it really helped me to cement my decision as a future secondary biology teacher."
Mattithyah Tillotson
Valley Center, Kansas
Summer 2010
Sunset Zoo, Manhattan, KS
Tillotson is currently working towards her undergraduate degree in chemistry. She was a Summer Stipend recipient in 2010 at the Sunset Zoo in Manhattan, KS.
"I loved my time working at the Sunset Zoo that summer. I was exposed to a side of education that I had never seen before. It allowed me to not only dive deeper into the behind-the-scenes zoo culture but also enabled me to start learning about the amount of preparation that goes into every lesson that we learn in school. I was able to interact with kids and get some hands-on experience teaching. The entire experience solidified my desire to be a science teacher, and I will cherish my memories from that summer for the rest of my life."
Recent Graduates
Heath Gerstner
– Graduate Teaching Certificate (Biology) – May, 2011
– Finishing M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction – Aug, 2011
Gerstner graduated from Kansas State University in 2007 with a B.S. in Agronomy (Business and Industry Option) and a Minor in Animal Science, with a KSHAA Coaching Certificate. He worked for Southwest Seed Research as Lead Research Technician for two years.
"I have always had a passion for young people from my time as a young coach. Having an opportunity to come back to school was an opportunity that excited me after working in workforce for almost 2 years. However, the financial costs of moving back to Manhattan and taking a full load would be expensive. The Noyce Scholarship has been a true blessing and a scholarship that allowed me to pursue a passion of mine."
Samantha Parker
Waterville, Kansas
Parker received her undergraduate degree in neuroscience from Texas Christian University in 2006. She then went on to work as the At-Risk Coordinator for Valley Heights High School, where she realized her passion for teaching.
"By joining this program, I have had to resign from my position at Valley Heights High School, so this scholarship will provide me with a way to afford tuition," Parker said. "It fits me perfectly because I currently live in Waterville, a rural town just north of Manhattan, and this scholarship is geared toward teachers interested in teaching in a rural school, which is something I plan on doing."
William Meier
Manhattan, Kansas
Meier received his undergraduate degree in horticulture with a minor in business from K-State in 2006. His interest in teaching stems from his childhood when he used to watch his mother teach in Olathe. "I enjoyed those experiences and often found myself wondering what it would be like to be in her position," Meier said. "Specifically, I really enjoy helping other people learn about important educational material and also about themselves as they develop their identity throughout childhood and adolescence."
After graduating from K-State, Meier spent two years working in a horticulture-related career. He then realized that teaching was his calling and made the decision to return to K-State in pursuit of a graduate teaching certificate with an emphasis in biology for grades 6-12. Meier plans to finish with a master's in curriculum and instruction.
Kristen Schweitzer
Manhattan, Kansas
Schweitzer is a 1992 graduate of K-State with a bachelor's degree in biology. She worked within local laboratories for more than 15 years before deciding to go back to school in pursuit of her teaching certificate in secondary science.
"I felt it was time for me to pursue a career in which I could contribute something back to society and share my love of science," Schweitzer said. Schweitzer said as a mother of three children she could not afford the childcare necessary to dedicate herself to student teaching for a semester, which the graduate certificate program requires, but this scholarship will allow her to do that.
Kenya Patzer
Topeka, Kansas
Patzer has a strong musical background, with a bachelor's degree in violin performance from the University of Denver in 2000 and a master's in music from Rice University in 2002. Before deciding to go back to school in pursuit of her teaching certificate for physics and math, Patzer worked at the Kansas State Fire Marshal's office. Her interest in teaching however, stems from her childhood.
"Both my parents were teachers, so I grew up seeing them in action," Patzer said. "It wasn't until I was 31 or 32 before I realized all my activities seemed to involve teaching -- whether tutoring, teaching music or doing fire service training. I finally recognized that I love teaching, and what I loved teaching most were those things related to science."
Kenya, a recent program graduate and teacher at Topeka High School, has won the Distinguished Staff Award for 1st year teachers in the Topeka Public Schools. The Distinguished Staff award is the highest award a staff member of Topeka Public Schools can receive.
Amy Hageman
Zeandale, Kansas
Hageman has a degree in mechanical engineering and is in the process of earning a master's degree in nuclear engineering. She said she chose to pursue a graduate teaching certificate because of a strong feeling of social commitment, which stems back to her service in the U.S. Navy.
"During my time in the U.S. Navy I worked as an instructor for enlisted and officer students learning to operate nuclear power plants," Hageman said. "Of the many responsibilities I had, my direct interaction with students was the most rewarding. After leaving the Navy, I worked as a substitute teacher and volunteered in my daughter's classroom, and I enjoyed my time in the classroom."