This program is for students majoring in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Industrial Engineering who transfer from one of 23 community colleges in the Northeast Texas area. It is awarding the equivalent of 78 scholarships over a four year period of approximately $7,500 each. The objectives of the project are to: 1) recruit, 2) retain through graduation, and 3) place in the STEM workforce students who are academically talented and financially needy. It is addressing the needs of the underserved Northeast Texas region with a focus on the community college transfer students consisting of a large fraction of minority and first generation college students. Well established links with industry are providing potential job opportunities for scholars as scientists and engineers. This program has the potential of serving as a model program for other rural areas of the country where community colleges are a valued part of the "pipeline" to college graduation and the STEM workforce.
