October 5, 2026 | Story by Joëlle Walls
Georgia Tech faculty are invited to apply to be sponsors for the summer 2027 cohort of the Georgia Immersive Fellowships for Teachers (GIFT) Program. Sponsor applications are now open. Faculty interested in participating are encouraged to apply before teacher applications open on Feb. 1, 2027, giving teachers a wider range of opportunities to consider and help facilitate successful placements.
The GIFT Program places K-12 STEM teachers in five- to six-week mentored experiences in university labs, industry settings, and informal science institutions. Working alongside faculty sponsors and mentors, teachers gain firsthand insight into STEM research and workplace practices that they can bring back to their classrooms.
“The impact of a faculty sponsor's mentorship can be felt almost immediately,” said Program Director Heidi Turcotte. “As teachers engage in research and workplace experiences, they're already thinking about how to translate those lessons into learning opportunities for their students. The powerful connection between real-world research and classroom practice is what makes GIFT such a transformative experience.”
Founded in 1991, the GIFT Program is one of the longest-running Summer Work Experience Programs for Teachers in the nation. Managed statewide by CEISMC in Georgia Tech's College of Lifetime Learning, the program has connected thousands of teachers with authentic STEM experiences that bridge research, industry, and classroom practice.
For more information and to apply, please visit the GIFT Supporter page.
Direct questions to gift@gatech.edu.
