This program continues a successfully completed CSEMS program that more than met its goal of 95% college-wide retention and on-time graduation rates. It achieved its goal of significantly increasing the retention rate and opportunity for our talented, but economically disadvantaged, students, to complete their undergraduate degrees in a timely manner. The minimum academic qualifications for acceptance and continuation in the program are a B average both in the major and overall. The previous program successfully supported 40 students, chosen each year out of a pool of more than 60 qualified applicants. The current program recruits more minority students, provides each scholar with application-oriented experiences in their field, assists each scholar with employment or graduate school admission upon graduation, and retains 95% of the scholars to graduation at end of two years. Intellectual merit: The program has a strong advisory component in the selection of appropriate and challenging course work for each student, supplemented with several out-of-class discipline-related activities. It provides an extensive lecture and seminar exposure for students in mathematics and computer science, as well as several research projects. Broader impact: The previous program had an equal number of female and male students and a 6% minority representation, somewhat matching the campus population. The college is committed to increase minority participation in the program to 10%.
