Cleveland State is offering scholarship support for students entering their sophomore year who have at least a 3.0 GPA, show financial need, and have declared a major in one of the STEM fields. This scholarship program aims to (a) decrease student reliance on loans and full-time work by academically talented students with financial need; (b) increase the bachelor degree graduation rate of the Scholars compared to STEM majors not eligible for this scholarship support; (c) improve the educational support to help the Scholars maintain their academic eligibility; and (d) increase the number of students entering the STEM workforce.
This project is targeting annual cohorts of 12 students, placing these students in learning communities and following them through to graduation. The support provided to students includes faculty, peer, and industry/community mentors; opportunities for STEM-related field trips; options for summer research or internships; and intensive advising at both the departmental and centralized university level.
The regional supply of college-educated workers in the vicinity of Cleveland State University stands at 20.8 percent, significantly lower than high technology regions such as Boston, Austin, and Raleigh/Durham, where a 40-43 percent college graduate supply is the norm. In recent years, significant efforts have been placed on strengthening STEM programs at Cleveland State University, including powerful marketing efforts as well as outreach to high schools. This University is encouraging degree attainment in STEM to support regional changes that will help link this region to a global high-tech world that is increasingly diverse.
