Students at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS) are usually self-supported, with approximately 43% of Engineering and Applied Science freshmen and 70% of seniors working during the academic year. This significantly increases their time to graduation. Because UCCS has few scholarships available, students work longer hours than those on many other campuses. UCCS also serves a sizeable under-represented minority (12.7%, not including Asians) and rural population. These students often have lower family incomes and need to work to pay for their education. To enhance enrollment, retention and graduation rates, and to increase the quality of students, this project will award 40 scholarships at $2,500 each. The scholarships enable the recipients to pursue studies full-time, enhance their educational experience, and enter the workforce in CSEM fields. The scholarships are awarded to freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors, after a rigorous selection process. The students are selected based on two sets of criteria: academic and professional. Academic criteria include high GPA, strong letters of reference, and a well-thought out written plan of study. Professional criteria include participation in mentoring or other service activities, student organizations, leadership roles, career goals, and interviews. Awardees are monitored carefully and meet every month with their assigned mentor and other faculty.
