SPARK - Increasing the Recruitment and Retention of Female Undergraduates in Engineering and Computer Science

该项目将创建一个名为Spark的奖学金项目，向德克萨斯州立大学圣马科斯分校的本科生提供18个奖学金，这些学生包括德州州立大学圣马科斯分校的一年级、低收入、有学术天赋的工程和计算机科学专业的学生。奖学金资助将持续3年。有针对性的招聘和明确定义的遴选标准将有助于建立一支强大的队伍。参与者将生活在一个集学习、指导和学术丰富为一体的共享社区中。他们还将参加两个专门为奖学金计划创建的高度参与式体验学习暑期会议。Spark将通过共享住宿学习社区、共同注册STEM相关课程、专门的一年级大学过渡课程和特别暑期课程，帮助学生完善在21世纪劳动力市场取得成功的关键技能：适应性、解决问题、创新、赋权和领导力。定期的辅导课程将侧重于职业探索、个人发展和研究机会。该项目将增加获得工程和计算机科学(ECS)本科学位的有才华的女学生的数量，并有助于实现STEM劳动力更加多样化的努力。

This project will create a scholarship program called SPARK to offer eighteen scholarships to an undergraduate cohort comprised of first year, low income, academically talented engineering, and computer science majors at Texas State University - San Marcos. Scholarship support will continue for 3 years. Targeted recruiting and clearly defined selection criteria will help to create a strong cohort. Participants will live in a shared community integrating learning, mentoring, and academic enrichment. They will also participate in two highly engaged experiential learning summer sessions created specifically for the scholarship program. SPARK will help students refine skills critical to success in a 21st century workforce: adaptability, problem solving, innovation, empowerment, and leadership through the shared residential learning community, co-enrollment in STEM-related courses, a dedicated first year university transition course, and special summer sessions. Regular mentoring sessions will focus on career exploration, personal development, and research opportunities. The project will increase the number of talented female students attaining undergraduate engineering and computer science (ECS) degrees and contribute to the effort to achieve a more diverse STEM workforce.