Cultivating Resilient STEM Graduates in Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology

About This Grant

This project will contribute to the national need for well-educated scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and technicians by supporting the retention and graduation of high-achieving, low-income students with demonstrated financial need at Tennessee Technological University. A total of 30 scholars pursuing bachelor's degrees in Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Engineering Technology will receive scholarships averaging $11,500 annually for up to five years. Scholars will receive faculty and peer mentoring, and the project will build strong scholar cohorts through supplemental instruction, internships, research opportunities, and career coaching. Additional activities for scholars include community-building experiences and engagement with industry partners. The overall goal of this Track 2 Scholarships in STEM project is to increase STEM degree completion of academically talented, low-income undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need. There is a significant national need to grow the STEM workforce and nurture key talent that will ensure economic competitiveness and provide domestic leadership across critical sectors. This project directly speaks to this need by supporting STEM student success, which will strengthen the workforce in high-wage engineering fields within Tennessee and other key areas of need nationally. The project will be assessed by an experienced evaluator, who will help the project team gain knowledge about the specific needs of these high-achieving, low-income students. The evaluator will examine factors such as academic structures and experiences toward degree completion, professional development experiences, critical thinking learning gains and gaps, and engagement with industry and community partners. The data that is generated will contribute to the knowledge base regarding effective strategies to support students in STEM. This project is funded by NSF's Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program, which seeks to increase the number of academically talented, low-income students with demonstrated financial need who earn degrees in STEM fields. It also aims to improve the education of future STEM workers, and to generate knowledge about academic success, retention, transfer, graduation, and academic/career pathways of low-income students. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.