INNOVATIVE UNT DALLAS PROGRAM DEVELOPS PRINCIPALS FOR STEM SCHOOLS

The latest cohort of the innovative University of North Texas at Dallas (UNT Dallas) Aspiring STEM Principals Program (ASP) will graduate in May 2025. Since its inception in 2018, the program has made significant strides in preparing future leaders in STEM education.  

Over the summer, ASP students participated in a three-day STEM Summer Institute featuring keynote speakers, interactive robotics engagements, and best practice support using AI and various innovative technologies.  

As part of their advanced coursework, these students were enrolled in a pivotal course titled “The Externship.” This hands-on learning experience allowed them to apply leadership principles within a STEM-focused framework in various real-world settings, including non-profits, corporations and governmental agencies.  

The most recent iteration of the program launched in the Fall 2023 semester, offering educators who want to become principals the opportunity to specialize in leading STEM schools. The program comes with a bonus: free tuition and no fees through a Texas Instruments (TI) Foundation grant. 

The UNT Dallas School of Education developed the first-of-its-kind Master of Educational Leadership program with a STEM concentration. It combines a rigorous curriculum with professional field study, ensuring participants are uniquely qualified and prepared to become STEM principals. 

The $651,000 grant from the TI Foundation pays all tuition and fees for candidates accepted into the graduate-level program. This is the second grant from the TI Foundation for the program. 

“Principals play a significant part in student learning outcomes, which begins with attracting and retaining great teachers,” said Andy Smith, executive director of the TI Foundation. “During the five years since this program began, we have been pleased with its success in developing STEM school leaders skilled at creating STEM campuses. Their commitment benefits teachers, who are integral to student success, which in turn helps students be better prepared for a future in which STEM skills are necessary.” 

The program focuses on Southern Dallas County, where UNT Dallas is located. Candidates for the program’s inaugural cohort are current educators with at least two years of teaching experience in the Cedar Hill, Dallas, DeSoto, Duncanville, and Lancaster independent school districts.   

“The UNT Dallas Educational Leadership Department is building a pipeline of future STEM-focused principals. STEM leaders are crucial to the success of innovative and transformational schools; more importantly, their work will directly impact students by creating pathways to meet future career challenges,” said Dr. Shelia Brown, UNT Dallas Lecturer and Program Coordinator of Educational Leadership. “Thanks to the generosity of the TI Foundation, the work of these STEM leaders will directly impact students by creating pathways to meet future career challenges.” 

This is one of several STEM-focused initiatives underway at UNT Dallas. In late 2025, a new, state-of-the-art $100 million STEM building will open, featuring multiple classrooms, laboratories, and a green learning environment that brings campus landscaping inside.  

As STEM and STEAM-related careers (STEAM education includes studying the arts) expand widely across many businesses and industries and demand for such positions grows rapidly, K-12 principals with this master’s degree concentration will shepherd tomorrow’s inventors and innovators. 

STEM and other Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs are vital in DFW-area school districts. There is a growing demand for new programs to ensure students are educated in ways that improve their engagement and achievement. The need inspired the creation of the UNT Dallas/Texas Instruments partnership for the Aspiring STEM Principal Program. 

When the 28 students of the program graduate  spring 2025, it will mark a significant milestone in their journey toward becoming impactful leaders in STEM education. 

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