Saint Joseph's College receives $1.5M to address Maine's shortage of STEM teachers

Photo / Christine Wnek Joe Cassidy, president of Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, announced the $1.5M award at an event on Monday.

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By Alexis Wells

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine on Monday said it has been awarded $1.5 million to help address the state's shortage of secondary school teachers in STEM-related subjects — science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The "Growing Future STEM Teachers in Maine" project aims to increase the number of secondary STEM teachers, and is a collaboration among Saint Joseph's, Southern Maine Community College and six high-need schools across Maine.

The financial award is part of a five-year National Science Foundation Robert Noyce Scholarship and Stipend Program grant.

The project will provide two-year scholarships of $26,000 annually to 15 undergraduate juniors and seniors. The scholarships will support students pursuing degrees in biology, mathematics, physical sciences such as chemistry, or environmental science, and who are also seeking secondary education certification.

The goal is to encourage students from high-need school districts to return to their communities as teachers and leaders of the next generation of science and math educators.

“Saint Joseph’s College of Maine is deeply committed to educating the next generation of STEM teachers for Maine schools,” said Joseph Cassidy, the college's president. “STEM education remains the foundation and the number one priority for training Maine’s future skilled and educated workforce.

“By working with SMCC and schools across Maine, this project promises to draw more students into STEM-ed degrees, provide teacher training with diverse populations, and plant seeds with current high school and middle school students to become future STEM teachers."

The scholars will work with schools across Maine, including Deering High School, Lewiston High School, Westbrook High School, Bonny Eagle High School, Windham High School and Lake Region High School.

“The partnership between Saint Joseph’s College and Southern Maine Community College is a critical investment in current students who will become Maine’s STEM teachers of tomorrow,” said U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine 1st District. “It is also an investment in the generations of future Maine students who will be better equipped to join the workforce of the future.”

Founded in 1912 by the Sisters of Mercy, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine is the state's only Catholic liberal arts college. Located on the shores of Sebago Lake in Standish, the 474-acre campus offers 46 undergraduate programs and has approximately 800 on-campus students.

Saint Joseph's was ranked No. 16 among Maine's largest colleges and universities in the 2024 Mainebiz Book of Lists, based on full-time undergraduate enrollment in fall 2023.