ECU, community college faculty collaborate on science teacher recruitment

East Carolina University faculty met with faculty from 14 community colleges June 7 to discuss ways to encourage more individuals to pursue a career in science education.
Science education faculty shared ideas and information to help community college faculty advise students interested in a science education career. Assistance with transfers to ECU were also part of the conversation.
Dr. Linda Patriarca, dean of the College of Education, encouraged the collaboration. She said, “As an employee of a community college, you are strategically placed to find individuals who show promise but may not have thought about science or science teaching.”
The event served as a kick off for a new teacher initiative through which faculty from the College of Education’s Department of Mathematics, Science and Instructional Technology Education work with community college faculty with the ultimate goal of filling public school classrooms with highly qualified science teachers.
The following community colleges were represented: Bladen Community College, Cape Fear Community College, Carteret Community College, Craven Community College, Central Carolina Community College, College of the Albemarle, Edgecombe Community College, James Sprunt Community College, Lenoir Community College, Pitt Community College, Sampson Community College, Vance Granville Community College, Wake Technical Community College, and Wilson Community College.
Additional information about science education opportunities may be found at: http://www.ecu.edu/cs-educ/msite/Science/index.cfm.
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Contact:  Laura Bilbro-Berry, East Carolina University
Phone: 252-328-1123, Email: bilbroberryl@ecu.edu