The goal of Pascagoula’s Jessica Brown is to one day teach on the Coast. The former Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College student is now a step closer to that dream thanks to the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program. Brown, who attended the college’s Jackson County Campus and was a member of the JC Honors program, is transferring to The University of Southern Mississippi to continue her education.
“It's a $10,000-per-year scholarship for students planning on teaching mathematics or science who are attending USM,” Brown said. “The program focuses on high-needs areas in Mississippi that were affected by Hurricane Katrina. This worked for me because I want to eventually teach on the Coast.”
The Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program seeks to encourage talented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors and professionals to become K-12 mathematics and science teachers. The program provides funds to institutions of higher education to support scholarships, stipends and programs for students who commit to teaching in high-need K-12 school districts.
“Going to Gulf Coast was a great choice for me because I wasn't ready to leave home after high school, and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do yet,” Brown added. “I was able to get into the Honors program at the JC Campus and go two years on a full scholarship. I love Gulf Coast because everyone on campus is really friendly and willing to help with anything you need. If I could get a bachelor’s degree from Gulf Coast, I would because it's such a great college.”
