This S-STEM project increases diversity in computing in two related majors, computer science and management information systems. To achieve this increase in diversity, the program emphasizes participation by students from underrepresented groups, such as women and minority students, first-generation college students and students from economically challenged areas of Alabama. The project 1) recruits qualified students, 2) provides a support infrastructure to enhance success as students and later as working professionals, and 3) provides financial assistance for students who have demonstrated a commitment to their studies in these fields. Students within Computer Science and Management Information Systems are part of a single cohort. These majors share four common required courses and significant overlap in student experience, including student organizations, services such as resume building, and student-led and conducted mentoring sessions. The project provides scholarships for 24 undergraduates, with 12 scholarships for the Computer Science Department and 12 for the Management Information Systems Department. Providing the scholarships alleviates some of the financial risks for students in these fields. The project establishes a formal structure for assessing and assisting involved students during their academic careers, including regular meetings with faculty and student mentors, and involvement of higher-level undergraduate students in research programs for elective course credit. Finally, the program introduces the participating undergraduate students to the possibility of academic careers.
