Support Continues for ADP MaST Academy at UTEP to Bolster Science and Math Teacher Education
Last Updated on November 26, 2018 at 12:00 AM
Originally published November 26, 2018
By UC Staff
UTEP Communications
The quality of secondary mathematics and science teachers who graduate from The University of Texas at El Paso’s ADP Math and Science Teachers (MaST) Academy continues to be bolstered by a 12-year commitment from ADP, a global leader in human capital management.
The MaST Academy initiative, which launched in 2007, has been strengthened by a yearly financial pledge now totaling more than $2.5 million throughout the academy’s existence.
As of November 2018, 125 ADP MaST Academy alumni have become certified mathematics and sciences teachers in grades 7-12. In 2018-19, 10 ADP MaST Scholars are expected to graduate, with an additional 13 current scholars graduating in the 2019-20 academic year. A new cohort of 10 students will be selected next May and join the MaST team in fall 2019.
“We are elated and grateful for ADP’s continued support of the MaST Academy to enhance the caliber of math and science teachers who will enter the workforce,” said Robert Kirken, Ph.D., dean of the College of Science. “The MaST Academy initiative is in line with our University’s mission of offering our students access and excellence. Our partnership with ADP is exposing students to innovative practices that they master in tandem with ADP MaST Academy Mentor Teachers and leaders. Together, we are ensuring the success of the next generation of teachers, many of whom will remain in the region.”
While a part of the ADP MaST Academy, students are supported financially and professionally, said Ellen Esposito, director of the ADP MaST Academy and Secondary Education for the College of Science. Students receive annual scholarships, field experience with an ADP MaST mentor teacher in a math or science classroom, travel to local and state conferences, and other professional development opportunities.
“The students who go through the ADP Mast Academy are excelling not merely for themselves, but for the thousands of students who will learn from them throughout their careers,” Esposito said. “When they graduate from UTEP, MaST Scholars are prepared for the rigors of the profession and highly recruited by area schools. Since many stay in the El Paso area, they prepare UTEP’s future students to enter science and math programs.”
ADP is one of the world’s largest and most experienced HR providers. In 2006, the company established its El Paso location which employs approximately 2,000 associates. The company’s longstanding commitment to UTEP was recognized in 2016 with the renaming of the academy to the ADP Math and Science Teachers Academy at The University of Texas at El Paso.