This project provides scholarships to support academically talented students with demonstrated financial need in attaining baccalaureate degrees in biology, computer information science, and mathematics at Gwynedd-Mercy College. In addition to scholarship aid, students are being supported through such activities as a living-learning community, modules and coaching on STEM study-skills, and peer tutoring. The project also features comprehensive training in ethics, leadership and decision making, seeking to graduate students imbued not only with the knowledge and competencies in STEM, but also sound ethical judgment. The intellectual merit of this project lies in the well-planned, literature-based activities to support student learning and success. The broader impacts include strengthening relationships with local schools and employers, as well as contributing to workforce needs, notably in bio- and information technology, in the Greater Philadelphia region. The focus on ethics education also serves as a model for similar institutions in the region and beyond.
