Wipro Science Education
The Greater New York Wipro Science Education Fellowship
Mercy University is excited to team up with University of Massachusetts at Boston and Montclair State University in New Jersey to become the Greater New York partner of the Wipro Science Education Fellowship. Dr. Amanda Gunning and Dr. Meghan Marrero, of the Mercy University School of Education, were awarded the $1.19 million grant to lead the Greater New York Wipro Science Education Fellowship (GNY Wipro SEF).
Wipro is an international information technology company that is based in India serving more than 61 countries. Because of their extensive work in the United States, they sought to fund science education innovation projects here. Dr. Arthur Eisenkraft of the University of Massachusetts originally earned their funding to run the SEF in a one-year program with Boston teachers. It has now grown to a two-year program in three states.
The SEF supports three cohorts of 20 science teacher fellows from five local districts during a two-year fellowship that focuses on leadership in science education. Districts who will participate in the five-year initiative are: East Ramapo Central School District, City School District of New Rochelle, Port Chester-Rye United Free School District, Public Schools of the Tarrytowns and White Plains Central School District. Districts were selected through an application process and will remain partners through the five years. Coordinators from each district work closely with grant directors.
The goal is to keep good teachers in the classroom and develop their leadership skills in the classroom as opposed to putting them in administrative roles. Major tenets of the professional development include vertical and horizontal articulation across districts and lesson observation and study. In year two, each fellow will lead professional development in their own district and work on a district-wide initiative of his or her choosing. This program has met success in its implementation thus far in Massachusetts and New Jersey.
Reimagining
In 2022 Wipro Ltd. awarded $480,000 to
MCCSE for a new program, Wipro Reimagined,
for continued support of teacher leadership,
inspired by the foundational Wipro Science
Education Fellowship.
Wipro Reimagined supports STEM education
leadership projects led by original Wipro Science
Education Fellows that include their colleagues to
effect district change. This initiative continues for
the next four years, and hopefully beyond. At our
annual K-12 STEM Teacher conference in October,
Wipro Reimagined Director Dr. Kristen Napolitano,
Wipro National Coordinator Dr. Arthur Eisenkraft and
Dr. Gunning facilitated an informational workshop.
Potential grantees brainstormed on leadership projects
connected to their specific district priorities working
with original Wipro Science Education Fellows as
mentors and leaders.
In December, after an application
process, seven teams comprised of 31 teachers and
teaching assistants were funded to collaborate and
implement their programs in 2023. Projects include:
fostering a professional learning community for
computer science education; developing curriculum
to support student engagement with materials
engineering; and creating elementary ecology lessons
to promote students’ scientific literacy as they build
and explore their school’s community garden.