Mines, UNC Formalize Unique Teacher Prep Partnership
April 2, 2018
Above: UNC Assistant Provost Nancy Sileo and Mines' Interim Provost Tom Boyd sign a memorandum of understanding between the two institutions recognizing the partnership to collaborate on increasing the number of science and math teachers.
The Colorado School of Mines (Mines) and the University of Northern Colorado (UNC)
formalized an agreement for a program they developed to increase the number of students
prepared to teach in secondary science and math.
Mines, a renowned engineering school, and UNC, the state’s leader in preparing educators,
leveraged their strengths in recognition of the need to confront state and national
shortages of highly qualified science and mathematics teachers. While they have been
delivering the program since 2015, the signed agreement makes the partnership official.
“We saw an opportunity to work together to alleviate the shortages,” said UNC Assistant
Provost Nancy Sileo, who signed the memorandum of understanding on UNC’s behalf. “By
bringing UNC and Mines together, we get the best of both worlds.”
Mines students participating in the program complete coursework to earn their degree
from the school. They also complete the necessary teacher education coursework, delivered
by UNC faculty on the Mines’ campus in Golden, that puts them on track to become licensed
teachers after graduation.
“This partnership highlights unique collaborations that state universities can offer,”
said Mines Interim Provost Tom Boyd who signed the MOU on Mines’ behalf. “It provides
unique opportunities for Mines students to pursue their passions in teaching, expands
UNC’s teacher education program, and supports the efforts of the state to enhance
science and mathematics education.”
The unique and innovative program helped get off the ground thanks to $300,000 in
grant funding from the National Science Foundation in 2014 and a $320,000 grant from
the Physics Teacher Education Coalition in 2015.
