This project provides scholarships for academically talented, financially needy students in STEM disciplines. The project includes a support program designed to provide extensive contact with faculty mentors who guide the students to help retain them until graduation. Recruitment to this program focuses on students from groups that are underrepresented in their participation in STEM areas. An average of 37 scholarships are being awarded each year, incuding 11 new scholarships to incoming freshmen in the Computer Science, Engineering, Engineering Technology, Mathematics, and Physics disciplines. The scholarships provide $3,500 per year and are renewable until graduation. Under the direction of their faculty mentors, scholars attend a variety of Educational Enhancement Activities such as job shadowing and other on-going community building activities. During the first semester of their program, the scholars meet with their mentor once a week for three weeks and then once every two weeks for the remainder of the scholarship period. The progam also gives the scholars the chance to interact with members of the business and industrial community.
