Scholarship Program in Science and Mathematics: Supporting the Academic Achievements of Disadvantaged Students

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Kennesaw State University (KSU), through its project entitled "Scholarship Program in Science and Mathematics: Supporting the Academic Achievements of Disadvantaged Students," will provide scholarships for 50 students over five years. The scholarship recipients will be full-time students majoring in biochemistry, biology, biotechnology, chemistry, computer science and mathematics. The broader impacts lie in the project's ability to enhance students' learning experiences through the program's interdisciplinary and cohort nature; attract and retain academically talented, underrepresented, or first generation college students; reduce loan packages and work hours for scholarship recipients, allowing them to pursue a full course load and a rigorous curriculum; decrease time-to-degree completion for project participants; and strengthen the technical and scientific workforce necessary for sustained economic growth locally, regionally, and nationally.Closely aligned with the expected broader impacts, the project's objectives are to: (1) improve the efforts to recruit more high school students into STEM disciplines at KSU; (2) increase participation, retention and completion of an undergraduate degree in one of the STEM disciplines by academically talented, but financially needy students; (3) provide opportunities to attract more academically talented, underrepresented (minority and women) or first-generation students; (4) increase the number of students enrolling in STEM graduate programs and to help students enter workplace after graduation; and (5) broaden the student academic experience through participation in STEM related cohorts, mentoring and research activities, internships and conference presentations. Implementation plans include activities that are proven to improve student outcomes such a targeted first-year seminar, strategic course placement, tutoring, advising, mentoring, seminars, and opportunities to engage in research projects and internships. The project will be evaluated using data from new and existing databases and student surveys to determine the degree to which objectives have been met. The results will be used to further inform the broader education community of efforts that effect increase in the recruitment, retention and graduation of STEM majors in the targeted disciplines.