BEDFORD – Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI) has announced the selection of 19 educators for its eighth STEM Fellowship cohort, bringing the total number of participating educators to 149 since the program’s inception in 2017. This year also marks the launch of a new mentorship program, with five STEM Fellowship alumni stepping in to guide the newest cohort.
The STEM Fellowship aims to enhance high-quality science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education throughout the Indiana Uplands region. Michi McClaine, ROI’s Vice President of Talent Development, emphasized the critical need for early and sustained STEM engagement among students to meet the growing demand for talent in advanced manufacturing, engineering, life sciences, and tech sectors.
“The ROI STEM Fellowship provides educators with the tools, experiences, and industry connections necessary to bring real-world STEM learning into their classrooms,” said McClaine. “The addition of a mentorship program strengthens our network, offering invaluable peer support and leadership development opportunities for both new Fellows and alumni.”
ROI STEM Fellowship – Cohort 8
| First Name | Last Name | Organization | County |
| Matt | Beckwith | Spencer-Owen Community Schools | Owen |
| Megan | Carpenter | Monroe County Community Schools | Monroe |
| Alex | Clary | Eastern Greene Schools | Greene |
| Bethany | Daily | Linton-Stockton Schools | Greene |
| Taylor | Duckworth | Southwest Dubois County School Corporation | Dubois |
| Gaage | Fetter | Southwest Dubois County School Corporation | Dubois |
| Melanie | Hawkins | Shoals Community School Corporation | Martin |
| Nicholas | Herron | Southwest Dubois County Schools | Dubois |
| Emily | Julian | Loogootee Community Schools | Martin |
| Zachary | Kern | Mitchell Community Schools | Lawrence |
| Haylie | Lackey | Monroe County Community Schools | Monroe |
| Cassie | Leonard | North Lawrence Community Schools | Lawrence |
| Stacey | Metz | Southwest Dubois County School Corporation | Dubois |
| Jodie | Silbaugh | Brown County Schools | Brown |
| Janice | Thayer | Crawford County Community Schools | Crawford |
| Amanda | Thompson | Southwest Dubois County School Corporation | Dubois |
| Kyle | Thornburg | Crawford County Community Schools | Crawford |
| Marsha | Wells | Paoli Community Schools | Orange |
| Kim | Wright | Bloomfield School District | Greene |
The 19 educators in Cohort 8 will begin their fellowship year in August 2025. They were nominated by their school principals and selected by ROI and will participate in monthly professional development sessions focused on STEM integration, industry tours, and career information sessions. Fellows receive a $2,000 stipend and supporting resources upon completion of the year.
The new mentorship program features alumni from previous cohorts who will guide classroom integration, navigate the fellowship, and engage with regional industry sectors. This initiative creates multi-year leadership pathways, further strengthening ROI’s STEM ecosystem.
ROI STEM Fellowship Mentors
| First Name | Last Name | Organization | County |
| Lisa | Emmick | Washington Community Schools | Daviess |
| Alison | Kern | Mitchell Community Schools | Lawrence |
| Tabitha | Lengacher | North Daviess Community Schools | Daviess |
| Clifford | Marr | Monroe County Community School Corporation | Monroe |
| Cory | Rayhill | Barr-Reeve Community Schools | Daviess |
