The S-STEM program, The High-Achievers Scholarship Program in Computer Science and Mathematics, at Appalachian State University (ASU) increases the high technology workforce and the number of Computer Science and Mathematic's students pursuing graduate degrees by increasing educational opportunities for economically disadvantaged students with the potential to succeed. The program increases academic opportunities for students from the Appalachia region in multiple ways, by improving the support infrastructure for all Computer Science and Mathematics students, establishing connections with regional high technology industry, providing leadership training opportunities, and engaging students in research.
The intellectual merits of this program include: 1) It enables on average 21 academically talented, financially disadvantaged scholars per year to make progress toward gaining undergraduate or graduate degrees in two STEM fields; 2) It includes a STEM seminar that initiates community building, mentoring, and research activities, supplemented with value-added components such as leadership workshops and mentoring relationships with previous ASU S-STEM scholars who have graduated; 3) It supports scholar participation in faculty mentored research projects and the dissemination of results, including conference publications and presentations.
The broader impacts of this program include: 1) Enhancing educational opportunities for disadvantaged students from the Appalachian region; 2) Increasing student support services for all STEM students at ASU; 3) Contributing to the economic development of the Appalachian region and North Carolina through increasing STEM workforce capacity.
