Fall 2007 Update:
Hello everyone! My name is Wale-Daniel (formerly Adewale) Akinyode. I am privileged to be a Noyce Professional scholar. I naturally belong to the teaching profession and I will ever be grateful to the Noyce scholarship at Drexel University for helping me to successfully transform into teaching from Chemical engineering.Since my transition in 2006, I have held positions of camp instructor and education facilitator. Currently I teach Pre-calculus and middle grade math in the school district of Philadelphia. During my spare time, I like to be with my rocket and robot teams. I believe there is more success to come. I hope to be the change agent that the younger generation has been waiting for, God helping me.

Teaching was a profession that in my culture was not held in high esteem, so I grew up never considering the possibility. However, thoughts of my private math teacher, who I believe transformed my life, of my fellow students I had helped, of the students I had tutored in their homes, of the enthusiastic comments of many of my students about the best professsion for me, made me realize there was a vacuum in me that chemical engineering, in which I hold a B.S., could not fill. I am entering into this field with zeal and an optimistic attitude that I will do well in the teaching profession.

Fall 2007 Update:
I have worked the last two years as an in-home, one-on-one tutor in all subjects.  I am
set to do field experience in physics/science this fall at Girard
Academy of Music Performance.  I currently seek a teaching position in
the School District of Philadelphia to follow that.

I was born and raised in rural Michigan. After receiving a B.S. in Packaging from Michigan State University, I spent two years working in Melbourne, Australia and Philadelphia in the field of packaging research and design. I always had my teaching aspirations on the back burner, even as I graduated with my bachelor's degree. I planned to teach secondary physics in the city of Philadelphia's public schools, Noyce award or not. I am in my third quarter in Drexel's MS in Instruction program and loving it.

Fall 2007 Update:
Hello, my name is Cecelia Carlin and I am a Drexel Noyce Scholarship recipient hoping to teach High School Biology in the Philadelphia School District in 2008. My Undergraduate work and degree is in Nutrition and Food Sciences/General Dietetics and my Master's degree is in Bioscience, both from Drexel University. My interest in Bioscience developed when I returned for my Master's degree and has grown ever since. While working full-time I have taken Education courses and am currently working on review courses to meet the The Department of Education guidelines for certification. My work in Nutrition has lent me a deepening respect for the Sciences, especially Biology, as Nutrition is a young discipline drawing from all of the Life Sciences. This work has always involved providing Education to clients, staff, family,students, and communities, which has led me to where I am today. I especially love research and education work and believe I can pass that love on to students. Since I have attended school and worked in Philadelphia, it is quite natural that I have seen that education is the future for their students, and I look forward to soon be involved with that work.

Drexel University brought me to Philadelphia, and I remain in awe of this great school in this great city. Despite adversities, the desire to share my knowledge and experience has remained with me, and I recently have had the good fortune to have been awarded the Noyce Scholarship. This has allowed me to return to Drexel University, and in turn, reach out to the School District of Philadelphia. It is my hope to keep the education energy flow going, especially in areas where it is needed most.

Fall 2007 Update:
I have graduated from Drexel University, the Noyce Scholarship provided
support to pursue a career in teaching mathematics.  I accepted a job
from the School District of Philadelphia and was assigned to Vare
Middle School.  I am happy that teaching allows one to give back to the
community. I will pursue higher education at Drexel University.

I am currently attending Drexel University, majoring in mathematics and education. I plan to become a teacher, which I consider to be a great professional development experience. I will
hold myself accountable to high standards. I want to grow as a teacher and develop new ways to help students learn.

Fall 2007 Update:
I became a member of the Noyce Program this summer, when I entered the School of Education at Drexel in the MS/Science of Instruction program. My background is in biology; I have an undergraduate Biology degree from San Francisco State University and a Master’s degree in Ecology/Evolutionary Biology from Yale University. For my undergraduate research, I studied the behavioral ecology of kangaroo rats in the desert in Southern California. I also worked on developing molecular tools for answering evolutionary questions in small mammals. My master’s research took me to the jungles of Central and South America to study spiny rats and explore questions about how speciation (the development of new species) occurred in conjunction with biogeographic changes in the continent. Although my research may sound complicated (and it was!), I continue to be fascinated by all aspects of the natural world, things like the spiders hanging from the trees in the park. My goal is to transfer my fascination with nature and biology to my students. I plan to teach high school biology in a Philadelphia school, hopefully starting September 2008.

I am excited about the prospect of being involved in the Noyce Scholarship Program at Drexel University. I hold teaching in the highest regard and consider teaching a profession that requires a great degree of responsibility and accountability toward students and the community. WIth the support of the Noyce Schoalrship Program, I will have prepared myself in the best possible way to fulfill my responsibility to my students, and I will have the opportunity to become the best teacher that I can be.

Fall 2007 Update:
I completed the Master's Program in Science of Instruction at Drexel University, on March 2007 and have been teaching mathematics at Northeast High School in Philadelphia since February 2007. I must thank the Noyce Program for the good start that gave me to make my dream true.

I was born and raised in Albania where I pursued my education bachelors of Electronic Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Tirana in Albania. I was a successful software developer and taught Electronic Data Processing concepts for four years at the Polytechnic University of Tirana. In 2002 I migrated to the U.S. and have been working as a systems support specialist.I have now decided that I want to teach mathematics. My past experience as a part-time teacher helped me to understand how much I enjoy this work. I want to be a teacher because sharing my knowledge with others sends a warm feeling to my heart. I plan to help others want to learn by making my lessons fun and interesting. I would like to be a career mathematics teacher, which is why I am participating in Masters Program in Science of Instruction at Drexel University. The Noyce Scholarship is making my dream come true.

Fall 2007 Update:
My name is Michael Franklin and I am new to the Noyce Program this year.   I am studying Earth and Space Science as well as Elementary Ed, pursuing a dual certification.  I am also a member of the Pennoni Honors College as well as an AJ Drexel Scholarship recipient.  Outside of the classroom, I am the community service representative for the Future Educators of Drexel (FEDs) as well as the head of recruitment for the Drexel Ultimate Frisbee Team. 
Recently, I have been working at the Franklin Institute as a workshop Facilitator, and hope to carry my experience there into the classroom.  Being an undergrad, I have limited experience in the Philadelphia school system, although I volunteered as a mentor my freshman year and co-created an in-class tutoring program this past year at Drew Elementary.  My eventual goal is to teach science in a highly fun, yet structured manner in a school in west Philadelphia.

My goal as a teacher is to be one of the teachers that students go on to talk about after they graduate. My 8th grade science teacher, Mr. Dennis, is a clear example. He is the model I want to be like because he was fun to his students, which keeps them connected, yet he was knowledgeable about the subject and knew when to buckle down and "teach." Also, he was very hands-on with numerous experiments and games, rather than just reading to us. I apsire to be much like him, but to a different population of students. I want to be the teacher that former students come back to. The students in Philadlephia need as many people around them saying that they believe in them and think they can do it, and I feel like I can do that.

Fall 2007 Update:
My name is Chandra (Candy) Graham. I am presently working on my MS in Instruction, concentrating in Earth and Space science.  Currently, I work at the Franklin Institute Science Museum as a Homeschool and School Group programs Coordinator.  During the summer I am Assistant Director of the Institute's Discovery Camp program.  Prior experiences include science interpretation through live and traveling shows, trainer for volunteer to staff museum exhibits, and program development support for both the Franklin Institute and Philadelphia Insectarium Museum.

My desire to become a science teacher is simple: make learning fun. Teaching allows one the opportunity to give back to their community, prepare youth for future academic experiences, and promote a lifetime of learning. The catch is to make the educational experience of the student attractive enough that the lessons are not only learned, but also retained.

Fall 2007 Update:
My name is Nicole Rolland. I currently teach biology at Frankford H.S. This is my second full year. In January of 2008, I will have been teaching for two years. The things I enjoy most are the students and the expression on their face when they "get" something or realize that they finally "got it". In my classroom, I like doing things that are out of the ordinary and that the kids really don't do anymore. I like to paint, color, play games, and use play doh to illustrate some of the biology content. I hope to have completed my Masters degree by Spring 2008. The Noyce Program has helped me tremendously. It has been a blessing being part of this program because it has allowed me to fulfill my life's dream.

I am currently teaching at Frankford High School in the Frankford section of Philadelphia. I teach biology and environmental science. I plan on starting a book club to encourage students to become avid readers. I feel that education is very important and I hope to inspire my students to go great things.

Fall 2007 Update:
Currently, I am pursuing both a Bachelors degree in Biomedical
Engineering and a Masters degree in Education. Even though I am on the
path to getting my teaching certification in both secondary
Mathematics and Physics, I would also like to gain
experience/certification Special Education. I am very excited about
this educational opportunity which Noyce Program has provided me which
will launch my teaching career and allow me to influence student
growth. Also, this fall I will be doing my student teaching at Girls
High- hopefully my enthusiasm and ability to motivate would allow me
to be a pleasant addition to their faculty.

Major: Mechanical Engineering
Nationality: Haitian-American
Why I want to be a teacher: I want to spark an interest within high school students in the field of math and science. I am also very happy to see there is a program that allows professionals a chance to give back to their community and build a bridge between education and the greater science community.

Fall 2007 Update:
I am currently pursuing secondary Chemistry certification and will begin my student teaching this fall in the school district of Philadelphia. I have a master’s degree in Chemistry and decided to pursue teaching after a science career that includes several years of
laboratory research as well as community college teaching.  I know firsthand what a difference a good teacher can make and I hope to be one for someone else.

I have found teaching to be the most engaging and rewarding experience of my professional life. Education has had a profound effect on my personal life and I know firsthand what a difference an excellent teacher can make. Particularly at the secondary level, teachers and coaches can provide the mentoring necessary to shape the future development of a student. I have been fortunate to have had excellent role models in my life and now I would like to be one, especially in the city of Philadelphia. I consider Philadelphia my cultural home and would like the opportunity to give back to a city that has enriched my life in numerous ways.