UHCL receives INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine's 2023 Inspiring Programs in STEM award

Photo-UHCL-InspiringProgramsSTEMAward

"A teaching certification in a STEM field will enhance almost any job application," said Lecturer in Secondary Science and Math Education Takisha Bolden-Gastile (far right).

Written by: Katherine Adams

University of Houston-Clear Lake has received the 2023 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The Inspiring Programs in STEM Award honors colleges and universities that encourage and assist students from underrepresented groups to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. UH-Clear Lake will be featured, along with 79 other recipients, in the September 2023 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.

Inspiring Programs in STEM Award winners were selected by INSIGHT Into Diversity based on efforts to inspire and encourage a new generation of young people to consider careers in STEM through mentoring, teaching, research, and successful programs and initiatives.

“The UHCLTeach program is the recipient of the 2023 Insight Into Diversity Inspiring Programs in STEM Award, which is very exciting as it honors the amazing work we are doing with the program at UHCL,” said Lecturer in Secondary Science and Math Education Takisha Bolden-Gastile. “Students have the opportunity to receive scholarships from the Hawkins Grant and the Robert Noyce Grant, paid internships, and a Summer Institute which provides our preservice teachers professional development to enhance their teaching skills. Our students are leaving the university with teaching contracts and are able to come back and be mentors to the UHCLTeach pre-service students.”

“We know that many STEM programs are not always recognized for their success, dedication, and mentorship for underrepresented students,” said Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. “We want to honor the schools and organizations that have created programs that inspire and encourage young people who may currently be in or are interested in a future career in STEM. We are proud to honor these programs as role models to other institutions of higher education and beyond.”

A call for nominations for this award was announced in April 2023.

For more information about the 2023 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award and INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, visit insightintodiversity.com. To learn more about opportunities in the UHCLTeach program, visit www.uhcl.edu/science-engineering/centers-initiatives/uhclteach/.