This proposal expands the highly successful CSEMS scholarship program at Bronx Community College. Its goal is to increase the number of women and minority students majoring in computer science, mathematics, engineering, and engineering technology in order to prepare them for careers in high technology fields. The student population of the college is over 95% minority and 66% female. To date, the project has awarded 101 semester scholarships to 46 individual students, 18 women and 28 men.
An Advisory Committee, supervised by the Vice-President of Academic Affairs, consisting of seven faculty members from the science departments chaired by the Principal Investigator, selects student scholarship recipients. The faculty develop selection criteria and evaluation procedures for student scholars. New students are being recruited from mathematics and science courses at the college and from local high schools.
Intellectual Merit: Student scholars and the faculty constitute the CSEMS Academy, similar to the Science and Liberal Arts Academies and the Honors Program at the college. Each student is assigned a faculty member who is the student's mentor and advisor throughout the student's participation in the program. The Academy sponsors talks by alumni who are continuing their education or working in the high technology industry. It is a place where students form study groups and receive tutoring. Students are directed to the Office of Career Services for workshops on interviewing skills and resume writing. Eligible students have an opportunity to participate in paid research projects through the Alliance for Minority Participation program at the college and at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The program also seeks internships for students at local colleges and industries through coordination with other science division programs and projects.
Broader Impacts: In addition to providing opportunities for students (most of whom are first generation college students) to see first hand what kinds of professional careers are available to them, the program has an impact on student retention. The overall success of the program is being based on the number of students who graduate and transfer to a four-year college or are employed full-time in a high technology area.
