This scholarship program serves students attending two of the ten community colleges of the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD). The goal is to recruit academically talented but financial disadvantaged students into the high technology disciplines, while providing a solid support system to help them succeed through degree completion and/or transfer to a four-year institution. The two community colleges combine their resources to enhance student success. Phoenix College brings an expertise in providing a solid infrastructure of student support services designed to promote academic success. Mesa Community College brings a history of curricular reform in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines and its unique relationships with the business community through its Business & Industry Institute.
Together these colleges will work towards the following scholarship program objectives: (a) 90% of computer science, engineering, or mathematics (CSEMS) scholarship recipients make satisfactory progress in their program of study (12 credit hours completed with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better). (b) 100% of recipients participate in 90% of CSEMS special events/activities during the semester for which they receive scholarship support. (c) 85% of CSEMS scholarship recipients make satisfactory progress towards their educational goals (i.e., be enrolled as full-time students at a community college in the following semester, transfer to a university, or have met the requirements for/been awarded an AAS or AS degree in the targeted programs). (d) One-third of CSEMS scholarship recipients are from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in CSEMS (women, persons with disabilities, Hispanic, African-American, Native American).
A CSEMS Faculty Advisor, CSEMS Faculty Mentors, and a CSEMS Advisory Committee that includes representation from financial aid, student support services, and industry representatives are guiding the program. Each scholarship recipient works with the CSEMS Faculty Advisor to develop an Individual Education Plan. Support services include campus orientations (including financial aid, counseling services, advisement, and career centers), college visitation days, industry visits, monthly CSEMS support activities, and an ongoing monthly relationship with each CSEMS recipient's assigned CSEMS Faculty Mentor. The CSEMS Faculty Mentor not only monitors progress, but also works with the scholarship recipient to identify additional resources, such as tutoring or internship opportunities.
