2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The S-STEM Scholarship Program at Southern Utah University provides financial, faculty, peer, and professional support to first-generation college students, minority students, and students who come from low-income families. The program was initiated in response to the identification of a high percentage of SUU students with these disadvantages and to the realization that supporting these students could increase retention at SUU in the STEM disciplines. In addition, the program seeks to help provide skilled scientists, engineers, and mathematicians to the southern Utah region. Since its inception in 2012, S-STEM program participants majoring in science, engineering, and mathematics disciplines have engaged in an interdisciplinary learning community that has included faculty mentorship, peer mentorship, undergraduate research opportunities, and career and graduate school workshops. Additionally, participants have been awarded $5000 scholarships per school year, which have allowed many to decrease their extracurricular employment responsibilities and increase their focus on their studies. These engagement and financial benefits have supported a population of students whom the university has traditionally struggled to retain. The program’s goals are currently being met, and the program can serve as a model for others who wish to support students with various disadvantages. This report presents the rationale for the program, describes the details of the interdisciplinary learning community, and provides a progress report after the first 3 years of student involvement.