Northwestern alum featured in STEM video

A video promoting Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Advisory Council initiatives features 2015 Northwestern College graduate Tyler Robyn. The video is available on YouTube: tinyurl.com/robynstem.

Robyn participated in a summer externship experience at Rosenboom Machine and Tool Inc. in Sheldon. Now an eighth grade math teacher with the Rock Valley Public Schools, he believes the externship has better equipped him professionally, both in his teaching and lesson planning.

“Working at a machine shop helped me see how math is used in different ways,” Robyn said. “One of the most common questions students ask is, ‘When are we going to use this?’ I had some ideas going in, but now I have many more applications to the content students are learning.”

Robyn cites a number of creative approaches to teaching as another benefit of his externship. He recognizes that not all students attend college after high school, so he is now able to describe the kinds of STEM jobs that might be available to high school graduates.

Branstad’s council is comprised of 47 educational and governmental leaders in Iowa seeking to attract students and young professionals into STEM-related fields. Teacher externships similar to the one in which Robyn participated expose teachers and students to real-life experiences in STEM industries.

“The hope of the program is that through externships we can share our experiences and raise awareness of the need for STEM subjects and concepts in the workforce,” Robyn said. “STEM-related jobs are the backbone of our workforce and economy, so it is important that students are interested and want to go into those fields.”

Robyn graduated from Northwestern Magna Cum Laude with a major in mathematics. A two-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete in soccer, he also participated in Northwestern’s Spring Service Projects and served as a tutor. He graduated from MOC-Floyd Valley High School in 2011.