The College of Notre Dame of Maryland's Pathways to Excellence Scholars program provides ten scholarships of up to $10,000 annually over a four-year period. Recipients are academically talented undergraduates with demonstrated financial need pursuing a Bachelor degree in mathematics, physics, computer information systems, or engineering. The program builds on successes learned from previously funded CSEMS programs.
Selected students are recruited from a pool of current and prospective students at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland's Women's College. The College has been cited as providing a female friendly environment for the study of physics. The College extends this female friendly environment to other disciplines using a tri-part mentoring system involving a faculty member in the student's discipline, a peer mentor from the program itself, and an external mentor from among a group of alumnae women professionals.
Scholarship recipients are trained to deliver effective oral and poster presentations and present scholarly work both in and outside the College. Each student in the program constructs a career development plan with her faculty mentor and sets measurable annual goals. In addition, scholarship students participate in experiential learning opportunities in their fields of study.
