SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE NEARLY $1 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR STEM MAJORS AT STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY
National Science Foundation (NSF) Funds Will Help Provide Scholarships for Transfer Students at SBU Who Have Already Completed an Associate’s Degree at a Community College & Are Enrolled in a Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) Major
Funds Will Also Provide Students With Access to Career Preparation & a Mathematics Immersion Program
Schumer, Gillibrand: This is a Smart Investment That Helps Put Community College Grads On a Four-Year Degree Track Without Breaking the Bank
U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that the National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded $998,750 in federal funding for Stony Brook University. Specifically, the award will provide scholarship support for students who have completed an Associate’s degree and who enroll in a STEM major at Stony Brook University. The project will also incorporate a two week mathematics immersion program and will also make available a network for advising, career and academic support structures.
“As our economy continues to transition to the 21st century, we need our students and education system to keep pace, and that’s why this is a smart investment,” said Senator Schumer. “This NSF award will help prior community college grads meet the demands of today’s specialized STEM industries and receive a four-year education at Stony Brook University, one of the best schools in the nation, without breaking the bank. I will continue to support programs and federal funding opportunities that help New York students prepare for the future and reach their fullest potential.”
“In order for New York to keep our competiveness in the 21st century global economy and keep our skilled workforce in the region, we must prepare our students with the education they need for the jobs of the future,” said Senator Gillibrand. “That starts with getting more talented students from diverse backgrounds into the STEM pipeline and developing programs that will introduce students to the many career opportunities in STEM fields. This funding will allow Stony Brook to invest in new opportunities for students to experience STEM fields.”
“Students transferring to Stony Brook are very well-prepared to succeed at a major public research University, and this NSF award is an incredible resource that will provide opportunities that may not have existed before,” said Samuel L. Stanley Jr. MD, President of Stony Brook University. “By providing more STEM educated students an academic experience that includes undergraduate research and career preparation, more doors will open to them to pursue their goals and the big ideas that ultimately will have a transformative impact on our world.”
According to NSF, Stony Brook University’s College of Engineering and Applied Sciences will establish the project, titled “Academic and Social STEM Excellence for Transfer Students.” The project integrates scholarship support with academic support, engagement in research and career preparation through faculty mentoring and internships. The project will also result in a program assessment and assessment of the impact of the program on students’ academic in performance. Results will add to the literature in helping community college students achieve successful transitions to four-year colleges.
###
