This project is providing approximately 26 scholarships for students with financial need and with academic talent in computer science and/or mathematics. Following an initial year focused on setting up the project and on recruiting, the project is providing scholarships during years 2-5. Scholarship amounts are based on unmet financial need, and average $6,000 per student per year, renewable for up to four years. The intellectual merit of the project lies in the integration of an improved curriculum with student support services, mentoring opportunities, and increased interaction between students and faculty. The project is building on strong institutional support for students by making significant improvements in discipline-specific recruitment, academic activities, and career counseling and placement.
The broader impact of this work lies in the increased educational opportunities for students in a poor, rural area in northeastern Oklahoma, and in the potential for the scholarships to recruit, educate, and mentor students from populations underrepresented in STEM fields, particularly women and Native Americans. Improvements in the mathematics and computer science curricula and in student support services are benefiting many students who are not scholarship recipients. Results of the project are being shared via videoconference with other colleges and universities in Oklahoma and through presentations at relevant national conferences.
