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IBJ: STEM scarcity fuels new paths for potential teachers

June 26, 2026 in Recent Media Coverage

University of Indianapolis Associate Professor John Somers teaches a robotics lesson for high school participants of the UIndy Summer Success Camp on June 22, 2026. As the director of undergraduate studies for the UIndy School of Education, Somers developed STEM2Teach, a nine-credit-hour program that provides an accelerated pathway to teaching licensure in the STEM fields. The program’s first cohort is expected to begin classes this fall. (IBJ photo/Chad Williams)

Indiana schools continue to face a shortage of STEM teachers, with districts relying on emergency teaching permits to fill math, science, technology and engineering classrooms. IBJ examined the issue through the University of Indianapolis’ new STEM2Teach program, a nine credit accelerated pathway launching this fall to help STEM graduates and career changers earn initial secondary teaching licensure. The story featured John Somers, director of graduate studies at UIndy’s School of Education, who developed the program in response to Indiana’s need for more trained STEM educators and more flexible teacher preparation options. The coverage highlights how University of Indianapolis expertise in teacher preparation, workforce development and STEM education supports broader efforts to strengthen Indiana’s educator pipeline and address critical classroom shortages.