CS NSF S-STEM Scholarship

Program Overview:
The S-STEM scholarship program provides financial support to Computer Science students with high academic potential and financial need. This program is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant Number: 2221680. In addition to the financial support, the program engages students in co-curricular activities focused on cyber-security, data science, and professional development that prepare participants for future careers.

The program targets undergraduate Computer Science students at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and California State University, Stanislaus. The program also funds qualified students at El Paso Community College (EPCC) and Merced College (MCC) who intend to transfer to one of the two four-year institutions.

The S-STEM Consortium consists of the following four institutions:

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP)
California State University, Stanislaus (Stan State)
El Paso Community College (EPCC)
Merced College (MCC)
Benefits:
Financial Support
The S-STEM program will fund students seeking a degree in Computer Science for a period of up to four years. Funded students at Stan State will receive an annual scholarship up to the amounts shown below, based on their academic level and financial need:
Freshman: $8,000
Sophomore: $8,500
Junior: $9,000
Senior: $10,000
Funded students at MCC may receive up to $5,200 in the year prior to transfer to Stan State, and up to the amounts shown above in their junior and senior years.
Professional Preparation
Funded students will be engaged in co-curricular activities that enhance their professional skills, as well as competency in the cyber-security and data science areas. Students will be provided professional workshops, competitions, and research. Selected students will be provided travel funds to attend professional workshops, conferences, and competitions.
Program Eligibility:
The eligibility requirements for the S-STEM scholarship are as follows:

U.S. Citizenship, or U.S. permanent residency, or otherwise U.S. National or Refugee as defined by section 101(a) or section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act
Verified financial need through the campus Financial Aid Office as defined by the Department of Education rules for need-based Free Application for Federal Student Aid [FAFSA].
High academic performance and potential as defined by the program. [Incoming freshmen students are expected to show strong academic promise (e.g. high GPA, strong recommendations, or high standardized test scores)]
Students enrolled at a feeder community college (MCC or EPCC) will also submit their degree plan and course approval form to the S-STEM program lead at the four-year institution (Stan State or UTEP) each semester before scholarship funds are released for that semester.

Continuation Eligibility

Each scholarship student will work with an S-STEM advisor to develop a degree plan through graduation with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (BSCS). The purpose of the degree plan is to ensure that funded students earn a BSCS degree within the four-year funding limit. The S-STEM program will provide funds for students on a semester basis. Funded students will be evaluated at the end of each semester to ensure that they continue to meet program requirements. To maintain eligibility, the following criteria will be verified annually:

Financial aid eligibility through the corresponding institution’s financial aid office as defined by the Department of Education rules for need-based Free Application for Federal Student Aid [FAFSA]
Competitive cumulative and program GPA
Satisfactory progress toward a BSCS degree
The S-STEM program will provide activities to support the scholars’ success. Students who fail to maintain the academic requirements of the BSCS program may be placed on a probation period for one semester to allow them to regain eligibility. Students who succeed in regaining eligibility after one semester will be provided with funds after the probation semester. Students who fail to regain eligibility after one semester will not receive any further funding.

Starting an application on InfoReady:
INTERNAL APPLICANTS: Current Stan State students (those with a csustan email address) should login by clicking the blue button, Stanislaus State Login.

EXTERNAL APPLICANTS: MCCD and/or High School students should select the Login for Other Users section under Login. First time users will need to Register for an InfoReady account; every other login will be done under the Login for Other Users area.

Please Note:
For applicants currently attending Stan State, the selection committee will review Stan State transcripts and may request references.