Berkeley Science Network Scholarship Project (BSNSP) at the University of California, Berkeley is increasing the number of students who earn bachelor's degrees and go on to STEM careers or graduate programs in the mathematical and physical science disciplines. BSNSP's emphasis is on substantially increasing the number of students from groups historically underrepresented in these fields. BSNSP is working with the Office of Undergraduate Admission to recruit students who are competitive for admission and are eligible for S-STEM awards, with a focus on increasing diversity at Berkeley. BSNSP is providing 2-year scholarships to 52 promising low-income undergraduates in the mathematical and physical sciences to aid them in their freshmen and sophomore years and SMART scholarships from UC Berkeley are supporting students during the last two years of college. BSNSP actively supports the scholarship recipients in their decisions to select science majors.
In addition to scholarship support, BSNSP is engaging the scholars in a structured network of mentoring that provides resources, encouragement, and professional development. BSNSP faculty and staff are working closely with the students to mentor them, provide new skill-building opportunities, and coordinate with other campus programs to maximize the scholarship recipients' retention to degree and preparation for graduate study or advancement into careers in the scientific workforce.