UC Merced Mathematics and Physical Science Scholars (MAPS)

加州大学默塞德分校的数学和物理科学(MAP)学者计划在获奖期间为有学术天赋但经济困难的应用数学、物理或化学专业的新生提供总共52个两年期奖学金(每个奖学金每年5000美元)。该计划的主要目标是增加即将入学的应用数学、物理和化学学生的多样性，并提高学生的保留率，特别是那些来自代表性不足的背景的学生。反映这一目标的具体项目目标是：1)提高STEM领域学生在完成具有挑战性的低级课程时的总体保留率，2)为正在接受高质量大学教育的MAPS学者提供广泛的机会，3)帮助所有奖学金获得者获得领导技能，并对自己的学术能力更有信心，以及4)提高毕业生的技能，以便为MAPS学者在STEM领域的职业生涯做好更好的准备。该计划通过提供持续和全面的计划具体学术和个人支持，增加STEM领域中代表性不足群体的参与和留住，形式包括教师指导、学术咨询和辅导、研讨会、领导力发展、实习机会、学习技能课程和仅MAPS学者才能进入的研究区域。这些改进活动有助于建立一个持续不断的MAP学者社区，并鼓励发展支持和加强学习经验的“队列”。该计划还创造了在加州大学默塞德分校和圣华金山谷高中之间建立联系的机会，以提高高中生对STEM领域众多教育机会的兴趣。

The Mathematics and Physical Science (MAPS) Scholars Program at the University of California - Merced is providing a total of 52 two-year scholarships ($5,000 each per year) for academically talented, but financially needy, freshmen majoring in applied mathematics, physics, or chemistry over the duration of the award. The primary goals of this program are to increase the diversity of incoming applied mathematics, physics, and chemistry students and to increase the retention rate of students, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. The specific project objectives that reflect this goal are to: 1) increase the overall retention rate of students in STEM fields while they are completing challenging lower division courses, 2) provide broad opportunities for MAPS Scholars while they are receiving a high quality university education, 3) help all scholarship recipients gain leadership skills and greater confidence in their academic abilities, and 4) increase the technical skills of graduating students to better prepare MAPS Scholars for careers in STEM fields. This program increases the participation and retention of underrepresented groups in STEM fields by providing on-going and comprehensive program specific academic and personal support in the form of faculty mentoring, academic advising and tutoring, seminars, leadership development, internship opportunities, a study skills course, and a study area accessible only to MAPS Scholars. These enhancement activities enable an ongoing community of MAPS Scholars, and they encourage the development of "cohorts" to support and reinforce learning experiences. The program also creates opportunities to build links between faculty at UC Merced and high schools of the San Joaquin Valley in order to increase interest among high schools students in the many educational opportunities of STEM fields.