“By teaching, we touch the lives of other people.”

That simple statement explains why Javier Martinez-Cabrera decided to be a teacher.

It’s a sentiment shared by Cindy Fowles, who decided on her career path while still in high school. “My math teachers were amazing and I wanted to share that same passion with other students,” she said.

Martinez-Cabrera and Fowles are among five CSU Monterey Bay math majors to be awarded Robert Noyce Scholarships. Kim Margosian, Amanda Roggow and Brenda Valencia also received the awards. All but Roggow are seniors.

Funded by the National Science Foundation, the Noyce program awards scholarships to outstanding students who are committed to teach math once they earn a credential.

Martinez-Cabrera transferred to CSUMB from Cabrillo College in Aptos, where he has worked as a math tutor for seven years.

“I have been part of a wonderful team where I discovered that I wanted to be a teacher. I have been inspired by teachers at Cabrillo and at CSUMB,” he said before naming a long list of them.

“Math is a serious and challenging subject, and I want to be part of the success of the people who face this challenge in order to accomplish their dreams,” he said.

CSUMB awards five scholarships per year. Math majors starting in their junior year are eligible, as well as students in the math credential program. Recipients – who are chosen based on academic record and commitment to teaching – receive $10,000 per year for a maximum of three years. In exchange, they agree to teach for two years in a high-need school for every year of support they receive.

Congress passed the Robert Noyce National Math and Science Teachers Corps Act in 1990 as a tribute to the late Robert N. Noyce, co-inventor of the computer chip and founder of Intel. Learn more about the math program at CSUMB