S-STEM Scholarship Program at Klamath Community College: Coordinated Support for Success in Computing

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 Klamath Community College. A total of 23 scholars pursuing an Associate of Applied Science degree in Computer Engineering Technology and Cybersecurity and Networking will receive scholarships averaging $15,000 per year. Scholars will receive mentoring from faculty, peers, and alumni, and the project will build strong scholar cohorts through cohort mentoring and the creation of a community of students. Additional activities for scholars include a summer STEM bridge program, individual academic advising and intervention, and visits to worksites and four-year colleges. The overall goal of this Track 1 Scholarships in STEM project is to increase STEM degree completion of academically talented, low-income undergraduates 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 Cybersecurity and Computer Engineering and other key areas of need. The project will be assessed by an experienced evaluator who will analyze qualitative data collected through surveys, interviews, institutional research data, and program records, and the data generated will contribute to the knowledge base regarding effective strategies to support talented, low-income 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.