Recognizing the urgent need for excellent math and science education in this country, Teach For America is committed to bringing outstanding math and science teachers to our country’s lowest-income communities. In 2006, Amgen Foundation, the charitable arm of Amgen, Inc., a leading human therapeutics company in the biotechnology industry, joined Teach For America as its founding national math and science partner. Each year, one hundred math, science, and engineering majors are awarded an Amgen Fellowship, which provides each recipient with a $1,000 signing bonus for joining Teach For America. In addition, as part of a special partnership between the Amgen Foundation, DonorsChoose.org, and Teach For America, fellows are eligible to receive funding for valuable student learning materials and innovative math and science classroom projects and/or to fuel professional development. You are automatically considered for the Amgen Fellowship if you are accepted to the corps and will have a degree in science, mathematics, and/or engineering by the beginning of your summer training institute.
HOW DO I QUALIFY TO BECOME AN AMGEN FELLOW?
Amgen Fellowships will be offered to accepted applicants who most exemplify the characteristics we look for in our corps members: achievement, perseverance, organizational ability, critical thinking, ability to influence and motivate others, respect for low-income communities, and fit with our mission. No separate application is needed. You are automatically considered for the fellowship if you are a math, science, and/or engineering major. Notification of acceptance into the program will happen prior to the summer training institute.
LEARN ABOUT SOME OF OUR 2011 AMGEN FELLOWS
- Kaylene Fiala graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a Chancellor’s Scholar with degrees in biochemistry and Spanish. As an undergraduate, Kaylene conducted two research projects, one in anthropology on an American Indian community in Wisconsin, and the other in oncology on skin carcinogenesis in mice. She spent much of her time volunteering in the pediatrics unit of St. Mary’s Hospital and tutoring Spanish-speaking students at Wright Middle School. Kaylene held several meaningful leadership positions on campus, including that of president of the UW Women’s Ice Hockey Club and treasurer of UW-Madison’s co-ed, professional chemistry fraternity, Alpha Chi Sigma. She studied abroad in Alcalá de Henares, Spain two times during her undergraduate years. This fall Kaylene will be teaching bilingual education as a 2011 Milwaukee corps member.
- Patrick MacKenzie graduated from Stanford University in 2011 with a B.S. in Management Science and Engineering. Prior to joining Teach For America, Patrick worked with the Tanzanian Ministry of Education to help solve the country’s teacher shortage through introducing technology and e-Learning into the country’s secondary school system. He has also worked at a non-profit organization in Chile that taught business skills to entrepreneurs, and spent a summer doing civil engineering research in India. At Stanford, he was President of his fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi, a Resident Assistant, as well as the President of the Freshman Class. Patrick’s campus leadership earned him the Stanford Award of Excellence, given to the top graduating seniors who exemplify service to Stanford, leadership in student activities, and a dedication to the university. As a Teach For America corps member, Patrick will be teaching 8th grade science at JJ McClain Middle School in Lexington, Mississippi.
Read more about our Science, Technology, Math & Engineering Initiative (STEM).
