The Need

To ensure that America is ready for the 21st century, schools are being challenged to raise the bar—educate students to higher standards and graduate more students ready for college and a career. Research shows that the most effective way to promote high-levels of student success is to have excellent educators in every classroom.

However, the need for teachers continues to grow, particularly in high-need disciplines. By 2015, it is projected that 280,000 new math and science teachers will be needed in America's public school classrooms (Business-Higher Education Forum). The Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship program addresses these challenges by selecting exceptionally able college seniors and career changers with science, technology, engineering, or mathematics backgrounds from across the country and supporting them to develop successful careers as math, science and technology teachers.

Funded through several foundations and state governments, the initiative provides $30,000 fellowships to outstanding college graduates and career changers in science, technology, engineering, and math to complete an intensive, clinically-based master's program at participating universities. In return, Fellows commit to teach for at least three years in a high-need secondary urban or rural school in the state where they complete their master's degree and obtain teacher certification.