Juan began his talk by going over the set of resources that Lamar University brings to the community, and how merging these resources with those of the community can have benefits to both.  He pointed out that there are 4 students who currently play with the Symphony of Southeast Texas.  He related how students within the Speech and Hearing Program work with children in public schools who have auditory issues.  He said that those are just two examples where Lamar University and the community are working together.  From that introduction, Juan said he was proud to present a project that will add to this interaction in a big way – “The Mason STEM Initiative”.  This project was born from a conversation between Rotarians extraordinaire Becky and Chuck Mason and representatives of Lamar University about the shortfalls in STEM education in our public schools K-12, and how much of the problem could be attributed to a shortage of qualified teachers in the science and math areas.  The project will offer undergraduate students in the Sciences who have shown an interest in helping teach as a lab assistant a chance to do even more.  If they are recommended by their professor, they will have the opportunity to take a summer class in the Education Department on Pedagogy which will prepare them to intern and earn credit hours as a student teacher in a science classroom in a local public school.  The student will prepare lesson plans, prepare labs for the students, and gain the experience of being an educator.  Both the summer class and the internship hours will be paid for by scholarships issued through the Mason Initiative.  By giving the Lamar students this opportunity to impart their love of science to others, it is hoped that many will discover the love of teaching.

 

Juan then showed the group two videos outlining the need for the program and reiterating the importance of teachers.  Four Lamar University professors, Dr. Randall Terry (Biology), Dr. Mamta Singh (Education), Dr. Christian Bahrim (Physics), and Dr. P.J. Couch (Mathematics), who are involved with the program spoke on the videos about how they were drawn to be educators and how rewarding it can be.  Dr. Terry stated that, “It is not about the money, it is about the power.  The power you have as an educator to have an impact on a young life.”  Dr. Singh spoke with passion about how she changed her life plan from becoming a doctor to becoming an educator simply because she was given the opportunity to teach.  Dr. Bahrim also spoke about the rewards of being a teacher and how satisfying a profession it could be.  Dr. Couch, who was instrumental in the development of the “Nests” with which many Rotarians are familiar, talked of the students who can excel if given the opportunity and instilled with the desire to do so.  Chuck also spoke on the video and explained how one of his professors, Dr. Russell Long, had inspired him to think for himself instead of just relying on a textbook, and how he has tried to instill that same thought process in all of his employees through the years.

 

This program is unique to Lamar University and, if it proves successful, can be a prototype which can be expanded to schools across the country.  This is an example of how the abundant intellectual resources of Lamar University can be utilized to make a significant impact in the community.  By concentrating on the root cause of the problem of STEM education in this country and attacking that problem at the source, “The Mason STEM Initiative” may be the first step in inspiring young people to excel in Math and Science.  Juan thanked Becky and Chuck for their generosity and their desire to make a difference in our community, and for using Lamar University as a conduit to make that happen.