The Mathematics Department at the University of Texas Arlington is supporting 30 students in two distinct 15-student cohorts, during their sophomore through senior years as they pursue bachelor's degrees in mathematics. Scholars are receiving financial support commensurate with their demonstrated financial need, not exceeding $10,000 per year, and averaging about $5,800 per year. The majority of scholars began their undergraduate education at a nearby 2-year institution and come from a diverse set of backgrounds. The S-STEM scholar program is a comprehensive student support component that builds on an existing mathematics learning community, anchored by the local student chapter of the Mathematical Association of America. S-STEM scholars are engaged with degree planning, networking, mentoring, engagement with the student discipline society, internships/research, conferences, and career workshops in a structured program that is supportive for the students' current achievement level. Extensive faculty mentoring is being enabled by weekly lunch-time meetings that includes students and faculty as part of a dynamic learning community that enables professional development and minimizes demand on participants' time. The S-STEM project's success is leading to mathematics graduates entering the workforce or continuing on to additional higher education. Findings and best practices are being shared with other units on campus, with the institutions in the University of Texas System LS-AMP program, with colleges and universities in the Math Alliance, and through conference proceedings.
