POTSDAM -- Recognizing the new career challenges that graduating seniors from Clarkson’s Class of 2020 and young alumni are facing as the nation reopens the economy, donors have seeded a new COVID-19 Alumni Scholarship Fund that gives them special access starting in Summer 2020 for select professional graduate programs offered at Clarkson.

Scholarships and other forms of aid will be awarded for Clarkson’s graduating seniors and alumni who enroll in the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Computer Science, Technology, Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Math. Candidates in other disciplines may also apply.

The MAT may be completed in one year with candidates starting online this summer and completing the entire master’s degree and New York State teacher certification requirements by June 2021.

The MAT has a four-year track record of 100 percent job placement among its graduates.

“This one-time option is in response to the need to accommodate our graduating seniors, particularly those who might be thinking about a career in teaching. There is no better time to enter teaching. It is estimated that one-third of New York State teachers will retire in the next five years, and there are already teacher shortages in the STEM fields,” said Catherine Snyder, chair, Education Department.

The MAT summer semester starts June 22.

Reach out to Angelia Kehl, akehl@clarkson.edu to learn more about the MAT program and the streamlined admission process.