Supporting Undergraduate Success in Biology, Forensic Science, Mathematics, Computer Science, and Cybersecurity through Scholarships and Mentoring

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 Fayetteville State University. A total of 30 scholars pursuing bachelor's degrees in biology, forensic science, mathematics, computer science, or cybersecurity will receive scholarships averaging $10,123 per year for up to five years. Scholars will receive faculty and peer mentoring, and the project will build strong scholar cohorts through co-enrolled coursework, STEM outreach, seminar participation, and residential learning communities. Additional activities for scholars will include course-based research experiences, intramural and extramural research internships, professional development workshops, and conference presentations. The overall goal of this Track 2 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 biology, forensic science, mathematics, computer science, cybersecurity, and other key areas of need. The project will be assessed by an experienced evaluator that will employ a mixed-methods approach guided by the project's Theory of Change and Social Cognitive Career Theory to provide ongoing formative feedback and conduct summative evaluations of scholar outcomes, institutional impact, and STEM career trajectories. 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.