Affording Opportunities for Sustained Success of STEM Students

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This National Science Foundation (NSF) Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) project at the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio will provide scholarships to science, mathematics, engineering, or technology (STEM) students with demonstrated financial need and academic talent. These scholars will pursue bachelor's degrees in the fields of Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Biology, Mathematics, Chemistry or Geology. Students from Appalachia, the most economically disadvantaged area in Ohio, will be actively recruited. Through the program, scholarship recipients will develop personal and professional skills to ensure that they will be successful in the workplace. The program allows the University of Akron to offer scholarships to directly address an area of national concern: maintaining US competitiveness in high technology industries. Scholarships for academically strong students, who may not otherwise be able to afford college, will increase the number of graduates prepared to support national, regional, and local companies. The success of the program will produce a well-trained workforce that will contribute to the economic growth of Ohio and the nation.The program will provide a range of student support activities including a STEM-specific learning community, cohort specific laboratories, a team building educational event, cohort specific academic advising and mentoring; and research specific course opportunities for scholarship recipients. These collective support and programmatic activities will increase the retention and graduation rates of students. Each student will have both an academic advisor and STEM faculty advisor. In the first two years, a learning community will be used to facilitate interaction between students during both the academic year and a weeklong laboratory and team building activity. During their junior year, students will meet in a one-credit course to plan an interdisciplinary design project, as well as receive career planning and advising. The scholars' projects will be completed in a one-credit course during the senior year. Projects will address a biotechnology or environmental application. Assessment and evaluation will provide insight into the retention benefits of student scholarships, career development activities, and faculty mentoring and advising. Lessons learned and effective practices that emerge from the program evaluation data will be disseminated widely to the STEM education community and help increase widespread understanding of the attributes and practices of successful student scholarship and support programs.